Our Story: The Beginning
by o0KittyBlue0o
Summary: Part One of Three. The Beginning of everything all started with...The End. After the final battle, with one swing of a blade, destinies were changed, twisted, and the strings of fate began to spin. Inu/Shiori. Hints Hiei/Kag Kur/Kag and more!
1. Chapter 1

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Disclaimer I do not own InuYasha or YuYu Hakusho or any of it's characters. Or Ouran characters for that matter. This is for the entire story!

/_Shuuichi_/

/**Youko**/

\_Hiei_\

(_Kurounue_)

((_Shiori_))

**Introduction: Stand Out**

It was the seemingly red rain that reminded her of it. The night that had changed everything, everyone. She frowned, thinking for a moment before deciding. She'd have to tell them sooner or later, she had merely planned on waiting until they were all older than they were now. She turned, looking to the children that had gathered, as usual, at the foot of her recliner.

She couldn't help but smile at their innocent eyes and hopeful smiles. So much like herself when she had been younger, before it all happened. "Nana, are you going to tell us a good story? A nice long one?" A small girl with bright red hair asked, her eyes a beautiful green color. She was so much like her grandfather, right down to that fluffy golden tail of hers.

"The story I'm about to tell you is truth, every last bit of it. It's not a pretty story, it's a story of blood, loss, and love. I normally wouldn't tell it to children at such an early age, but it's our story. The story of our family, and how we all came together. Tonight, here in the Makai, you see the red rain? It seems so normal here, doesn't it? How it creates a crimson landscape, it reminds me of that day. Listen carefully, my young ones, for this tale is important, and something you will one day pass on to your own children, and they to theirs."

Blood. Blood was everywhere. The ground seemed to be a littered with puddles of it, and it kept raining down from both sides of the battle field. A war was never clean, and this one was no exception. Not that it bothered Sesshoumaru at all, or many of the others he could see in this short still in the battle. He nearly sneered in disgust as he saw that miko of his brother's, Kagome, he knew her name to be.

Not by choice, mind you, but one would have to be deaf not to hear the hanyou shouting her name every two seconds during any battle. She currently looked as if the blood was going to make her hurl, and she probably would too. She was such a weak being, how she survived this long he didn't know. What happened next confused him, however.

Kagome could hardly stand the amount of blood that covered her and the field, not that she hadn't been in such a position before. Not at all. Over the years she had grown use to such things, but this wasn't just the enemy's blood. No. This was everyone's blood. Even Shippo's. She slapped on an angry look, glancing to her kit who was off to the side fighting the weaker demons. That's right, HER kit. Her determined, angered face caused many youkai to back away in fear, add on the miko powers flaring out in her aura and you have a lovely youkai repellent.

InuYasha's eyes drifted from Naraku to Kagome, but only for a moment. He saw her disgusted look and almost sighed at how weak she was. She should be fighting the enemy, not standing there being grossed out by something so simple as blood! Kikyo wouldn't have been...no. She wasn't Kikyo. She was Kagome, his Kagome, and he had to protect her no matter how weak she was, he had thought as he lunged at Naraku.

Naraku, as we all well know, was a foul hanyou made of a weak and tainted ningen heart and thousands upon thousands of youkai. He was powerful, plenty powerful, but nothing compared to what would come, but we're getting ahead of ourselves here.

Kagome scowled, feeling his eyes on her. He probably thought her weak, from the way he had looked at her. She narrowed her eyes at InuYasha from across the clearing, as he did her at that moment in time. She would prove him wrong! She was strong, stronger than that...that bitch! How dare he compare her to Kikyo, again! He didn't say so aloud but she could feel that thought cross his mind, as it did so often over the years. She growled in frustration at the thought of said hanyou's unchanged mind.

Within the privacy of her head she found that a door had suddenly opened, inside it knowledge she never knew she had possessed. Within it she found the power she needed.

_Open up your eyes take a look at me_

_If the picture fits in your memory_

_I've been dreaming by the rhythm like the beat of a heart_

_And i won't stop until I start to stand out_

_to stand out_

_Some people settle for the typical thing_

_Living all their lives waiting in the wings_

_It ain't a question of 'if', just a matter of time_

_Before I move to the front of the line_

She raised her bow and notched an arrow, aiming at Naraku's unprotected back as he battled her InuYasha. She would not just stand there and be that weak little girl! Not this time, InuYasha! She poured her powers into the arrow and released it, watching her powers explode from the usual weak pink color to a dark blue, almost fluid looking aura. Her back arched and her hand grasped her chest, something inside her snapped. Her eyes opened and unknown to her, she now had glowing blue eyes.

Sesshoumaru elegantly cut the heads off a couple youkai that Naraku had sent after him, watching with slight interest as Kagome's aura changed drastically, becoming so strong he knew even he, one with a slight immunity towards purification, would have been hurt by such power. Not purified, but left with a rather nasty scar. He jumped back, noticing his brother and the wolf prince were also taking the time to do the same. His next glance at Kagome made him scowl. She had the same eyes as that other miko, Midoriko, had had.

InuYasha's eyes widened at Kagome's changed aura, jumping away quickly in fear. He noticed even his brother was doing so. Sesshoumaru was almost immune to spiritual powers, Kagome had tapped into some kind of locked power no one knew she had! Her eyes locked with his for only a moment, a scowl plastered on her normally very happy face. "KAGOME!"

Miroku didn't stop to stare at the unlocked powers of the Shikon Miko, having his hands full with an ogre at the moment. He knew something like this should, technically, happen. The Shikon Miko should have powers beyond that of any miko, to protect the jewel. He glanced quickly at Sango as she, too, called out for Kagome. She was so close to the girl from the future it would be heartbreaking when she had to return.

"Kagome!" Sango called out, jumping away from Miroku and towards her dearest friend. She slaughtered the poor youkai that thought to stop her, the fools. No one would keep her from protecting Kagome. No one. She reached her hand out to her, but stopped when Kagome turned to look at her with those bright blue eyes.

Kagome knew it wouldn't kill him, but it would anger him quite a bit, and that's what she wanted to happen. Turning back towards the hanyou now that Sango had stopped, Kagome narrowed her eyes. She dropped her bow and arrows as he turned at her, his red eyes glowing with hate, anger, and pain. He launched his tentacles at her, snarling in anger as she dodged gracefully, anyone watching would have thought it beautiful. Not the fact that she had dodged, but the clashing of the blue and red auras.

InuYasha watched, in complete horror, as Kagome ran towards Naraku, her fists glowing that odd dark blue color. "KAGOME!!" He shouted, but she refused to listen, blocking out his voice.

_And if you're watching every move that I make_

_Ya gotta believe that I got what it takes_

_To stand out_

_Above the crowd_

_Even if I gotta shout out loud_

_'Til mine is the only face you see_

_Gonna stand out 'til you notice me_

Kagome leaped into the air to dodge the final tentacle before coming down fists first, her lungs burning from the miasma that came pouring out of the being. She watched, without disgust, as the places her fists hit exploded into dust on contact. She jumped away and began dodging again as Naraku focused completely on her. Her legs were moving much like Kouga's shard-powered limbs, keeping her safely away from the angered hanyou.

"KAGOME! RUN!" InuYasha yelled as he ran back towards Naraku, hacking through mindless youkai on his way there. He had to get to her before she died! There was no way he would let that bastard kill her! How could she always get herself in life or death situations?!

Sesshoumaru raised a brow when InuYasha failed to notice the sudden jump in her strength. He only noticed she was simply in harms way, which she was handling quite nicely on her own. He noticed the miko power flowing through her legs, making her movements faster than normal. A smirk found it's way to his face without his notice as he watched her from the corner of his eye.

Had he known he was taking pleasure in a ningen's power, he would have been horrified. Had he known what the decision to watch her would set in motion, he would have looked away. Had he known before what the kamis had in store, he would have killed her long before. But he didn't know. He didn't have a clue. And so, Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the West, watched with interest as Kagome attacked the hanyou as if she, herself, were a youkai.

_If the squeaky wheels always getting the grease_

_I'm totally devoted to disturbing the peace_

_And I'll do it all again, when I get it done_

_Until I become your number one_

_No method to the madness and means of escape_

_Gonna break every rule I'll bend them all out of shape_

_It ain't a question of 'how' just a matter of when_

_You get the message that I'm trying to send_

Kagome jumped over two youkai, getting away from Naraku as InuYasha neared him. He was trying to save her again, when he should be watching her kick ass! Kagome nearly growled, in her own human way, in anger at the idiocy of the man she had come to love. She didn't even notice she had landed beside Sesshoumaru until he sliced a nearby youkai in half. Even then she didn't pay him much attention, but his next words caught her off guard.

"My brother is a fool." Sesshoumaru said simply, noticing where exactly her anger was directed. He scowled deeply. Why had he told her that? She was distracting him again. He watched as she smiled a small smile that never even really made it to her eyes. She flexed her hand, much in the way he often did, and he saw her grow miko powered claws.

"I know he is." She said before jumping back into the battle, her miko claws turning any nearby enemies to ash. "He always has been." She added, blood splattering onto her shirt from a youkai he had just used his own claws on.

"And you love him." Sesshoumaru said, scowling as he let yet another comment slip through.

"Hai, I love him." She stopped a moment, jumping away from one of Naraku's stray limbs as he attacked InuYasha blindly. "Probably because there is no one else around who is as exciting." Kagome said off handedly. She then jumped away, landing behind Naraku.

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The story was cut short as a boy frowned and tugged at the woman's shirt. "Nana, you're not--" He started but was silenced as she placed a hand over his mouth. He glared at her with his violet eyes, crossing his arms as he pouted at her.

"I know, sweetie, but at one point I was. Now, quiet and listen or you'll never know how things changed!" The woman said playfully, winking at the silver haired boy before letting her hand fall back to her side. "Now where was I, oh yes!"

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_I'm under a spell, I'm in over my head_

_And you know I'm going all of the way, till the end_

_To stand out_

_Above the crowd_

_Even if I gotta shout out loud_

_'Til mine is the only face you see_

_Gonna stand out 'til you notice me, yeah_

Kagome was now back in the front lines, putting her childhood karate lessons to good use for once. Her hands, feet, and legs were now miko charged as she delivered her blows to random enemies, making it back to Naraku. The slayer and the monk were now protecting the fox kit, the fire cat was trying to keep back as many youkai as possible from the small group in the corner of the battle. Sesshoumaru scowled as he came up next to the miko once more, his beast demanding he stay near. It was instinct to stay near a strong ally, and he wasn't one to deny his instincts.

Too bad the poor man had no idea what other ridiculous things his instincts would have him do over the next few years or he would have immediately found a way to ignore them.

Kagome was slightly surprised that Sesshoumaru was next to her rather than InuYasha, but that didn't matter at the moment as she dove forward, grabbing a tentacle and purifying the whole appendage off the evil hanyou. She smirked at his pain.

"That's for Sango's family, you creep!" Kagome yelled before doing the same to another. "This is for Miroku!" Her shouting caught the attentions of her companions, and they cheered her on as they fought with renewed strength. Kagome was doing all of this for them, not for herself, not for InuYasha's pleasure, but for all the pain the hanyou had put on innocent people.

_If I could make you stop and take a look at me instead of just_

_Walking by_

_There's nothing that I wouldn't do_

_If it was getting you to notice_

_I'm alive_

Sesshoumaru slashed through a tentacle coming his way, then sent his acid whip flying across the hanyou's face as InuYasha brought his sword down the being's back. His screams were like music to his ears. He smirked when he noticed the mark his whip left would not heal properly.

Kagome jumped forward and latched onto Naraku's left arm. "This is for Kikyo and InuYasha!" She screamed as his arm turned to dust. She was tugged back roughly as Naraku's other hand came down to attack her. He was starting to regrow the tentacles and Kagome scowled.

Sesshoumaru let go of the back of her shirt and snarled loudly at Naraku. "Miko, you nearly got yourself killed."

"You just wait. I'll take him down with me." Kagome murmured under her breath, panting for air. Her body was exhausted, but she wasn't low on miko yet! She ran forward, just as a tentacle came forward. "THIS IS FOR ME!"

_All I need is half a chance, a second thought, a second glance'll prove_

_I got whatever it takes_

_It's a piece of cake_

_To stand out Above the crowd_

_Even if I gotta shout out loud_

_'Til mine is the only face you see_

_Gonna stand out Stand out, hey_

_Stand out! Yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_Stand out!_

Sesshoumaru reached out for her as she ran straight for the attacker, and was shocked when she allowed herself to be run through. Then she laughed, a strange gurgling laugh as her mouth filled with blood. With her last bits of strength she latched onto the tentacle and poured all the miko power she had in her into it. All youkai nearby jumped back in fear as Naraku's piece of the jewel was purified along with the hanyou himself.

Sesshoumaru was the first to get back to Kagome, just in time to see her fall face first into the dust that was once the most evil hanyou he had ever seen. She was struggling to breathe, tears coming to her eyes when she saw that InuYasha hadn't been the first to come to her. "In-Inu.." She gurgled out before the tears fell and her body gave out.

_'Til mine's the only face you see_

_Gonna stand out_

_'Til you notice me_

A repeated yell of her name came from her friends and loved ones, but one cry caught everyone's immediate attention.

"MAMA!!!" The kit screamed in horror, his little body zipping over to her side before the others even started running over. Sesshoumaru watched as the kit flung himself over his 'mama' and cried. The others had froze in shock over Shippo's scream, obviously he never called her that before.

"Move, kit." Sesshoumaru said a bit softer than he had meant to, though he made up for it with a quick shove of his boot. The kit cried out for him to leave his mama alone, but was quickly grabbed by the monk. Wise man. Sesshoumaru turned back to the miko and lifted his Tenseiga. It pulsed to life, pushing those within a ten foot radius away. Looking down at the broken miko, he saw the hell imps just getting to work, and he sneered.

"Hn." Was all that he said as he sliced through the supposed immortal beings. By doing so, he twisted the red string of fate. He knew it, at the moment. Just as he had done so with Rin and Jaken, he brought back the miko on his own. No begging from an outside party nor a pulse from the sword itself had brought this on. He kneeled down and lifted his own haori off and draped it onto the woman, her chest being exposed from the impalement.

"MAMA!" Shippo cried as Kagome began to stir. Her eyes opened to see two people. Shippo, and Sesshoumaru. Little did she know that this very moment altered her way of thinking, altering not only her own destiny but that of another's. Her sight blurred, the red of Shippo's hair blending into the warm gold of Sesshoumaru's. Red eyes. Beautiful blood red eyes. As her eye sight cleared she blinked, wondering where the eyes went. Where were the eyes that made her heart clench and her breath escape her? She looked at her little Shippo, recognizing him, if only just barely.

It was her son, she was sure of that, his name was Shippo. How old was he? She didn't know. When did she come to have a child? Again the answer slipped away, she wanted to open her mouth to ask but some how she couldn't. She turned her gaze to the untouchable figure above her. Silver hair and gold eyes. Her protector? No. He wasn't a threat, but he wasn't the one who shielded her from danger. This man was the shield against the shield. The one who she could talk to without fear of hurting feelings or telling her what she should do. Her hand lifted and the tips of her fingers reached for him, surprisingly he kneeled down and allowed her to touch his face, smearing blood over those twin stripes of his.

Blue eyes blinked as a pink orb came into view, hovering a bit above her before it seemed to dissolve. She watched with a child like wonder as some of the powder the beautiful thing had created entered her mouth. Slowly, one by one, it entered the mouths of many of those whom had fought beside Kagome. Shippo, Sesshoumaru, Sango, Miroku, InuYasha, Kouga, Ayame, Kagura, Kanna, and Rin all took in the pink dust before something happened.

Without a sound, without some burst of light, without so much as even a cloud of dust, there were suddenly several people missing. Shippo looked around before letting out a loud cry of fear and anguish. Of InuYasha's group only he and Kirara had been left behind.

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Five hundred years later, in a elegantly decorated office with a large desk cluttered with paper work, there sat a demi-god. Why? Because he had the increasingly troubling job of keeping the trouble making youkai of the Makai to keep out of Ningenkai. He was the great prince of Reikai, and his name was Koenma.

Now Koenma wasn't very intimidating looking, in fact he was quite the opposite! He looked like a cute toddler, chewing on his pacifier and mumbling incoherently. Most would think he was babbling like a normal toddler rather than cursing over the piles of work he had to do. Return back to life? Sure. Permission to pass into Southern Makai? Fine! Want a meeting with the Prince of Reikai? OK!!

Now, although he seemed to say yes to everything he was truly thinking of what would happen should he screw up, his father was never kind when it came to punishments. Koenma was to watch over and protect ningens, and so anything, and I do mean anything, that had to deal with them had to be looked over by him and his Ogres. Yes, I said Ogres. Yellows, blues, greens, reds, there were all sorts of ogres working under him, and all of them had jobs.

One Ogre, by the name of Jorge, had the the wonderful, if one could call it that, job of being Koenma's right hand man. He did everything in his power to keep Koenma out of trouble and things in Reikai moving smoothly. He had worked hard for a couple centuries for this hard job, and he was proud of it, though the stress was so bad he had developed a nervous stutter.

That day Jorge was doing his normal routine of checking over each working team under Koenma when he found out something horrible, and so he quickly ran to his boss, often tripping over his own feet as he hurried to bring him the news.

Koenma was angry when Jorge burst into his office without warning, and had nearly began yelling, but he noticed the urgency on the blue ogre's face and immediately calmed.

"What's going on, Jorge, speak quickly!" Koenma had shouted at the nervous male in front of him, watching with a smug satisfaction as Jorge winced.

"Ko-Koenma, sir, the Department of Barrier Upkeep is under Code 77215." Jorge said, and Koenma scratched his head in confusion.

"Code 77215...77215...Why does that sound so familiar?" Koenma asked to himself, this of course caused Jorge to sigh at the boy-god. He had, after all, made the codes and should know them. Alas, the demi-god had so much he was suppose to remember he couldn't memorize things well at all.

"They are running low on holy power, sir." Jorge supplied, causing Koenma to nearly jump out of his skin. Had he not learned to control his bladder a few decades ago he would have had to have his pants changed! Low holy power in the barrier made it a lot easier for rogue youkai to get through!

"Get me Botan, NOW!" Koenma shouted into a speaker on his desk before holding his head in his tiny hands. "Oh dear...father's going to be angry...how could this happen? I thought we had enough power for another few centuries!"

Koenma got another scare when Botan, a bubbly young ferry girl, appeared in front of his desk with a strange pop sound. "Botan reporting for duty, Koenma, sir! Is it more youkai? Do you need me to gather up Yusuke's team again?" She asked with a sweet voice, her pink eyes glistening with excitement.

"Bring me the Head of the Barrier Upkeep, quickly!" The boy said, grasping the sides of his overly large hat. "It's a bat-hanyou by the name of Shiori Suzumiya! What're you still doing here?! HURRY!"

"Yes sir!" Botan answered and hopped into a portal, only to return seconds later with a beautiful woman with her. The woman was, of course, Shiori the bat hanyou. She had long white hair and lovely violet eyes. She had long ago grown into her wings, the white appendages folded neatly behind her as she bowed to the prince.

"Koenma-sama, I'm sure you've heard of our recent problem?" Shiori said as she stood, patting at her lilac lab coat with one hand while the other held onto a beautiful red orb.

"Why wasn't I notified of this sooner?!" He asked her, slamming his hands onto his desk almost painfully.

"Because, Koenma-sama, there is only one who has the energy to power the barrier. Look for a miko, one with power beyond Midoriko. I cannot tell you where you can find her, I do, however, know her first name. She is called Kagome, my lord, and she must be found within the next five years or the barrier will fall." Shiori answered, tucking a stray bit of her silvery-white hair behind a elongated pointed ear.

"Jorge! Find every file on every Kagome!" Koenma shouted and hopped onto his desk, pointing at Botan. "YOU find Yusuke's team, Jin's team, and contact the Lords and King of Makai! We have no time! GO NOW!"

With that Shiori left to get back to her department, Jorge ran to filter through the millions of files for any and every Kagome, and Botan to find everyone. Koenma fell into his chair with a flop, tears stinging his eyes. "I don't understand why these things happen so often!" He whined and covered his chubby face with his small hands.

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Chapter One is Officially Up!


	2. Chapter 2

Don't own YYH or IY or any of it's characters.

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**Chapter One: God does not ask about our ability, but our availability.**

InuYasha's eyes went wide as he realized exactly where he was, where Sango, Miroku, and Kagome were. No matter how many times he rubbed his golden orbs he would see the same thing. The large house, the smaller storage buildings attached, the Goshinbaku. They were in the future. Without Shippo or Kirara.

He looked over to Sango and Miroku, who were looking around with a slight sense of wonder, their eyes wide and mouths open. No doubt they knew where they were from his stories of Kagome's home, but being told of the future and being there were two very different things. He let his eyes glide over to Kagome, who looked like she was about to have a heart attack.

He frowned. He had to fix this. "Kagome, maybe if we jump into the well..." InuYasha said, trying his hardest to be helpful to the situation. He had to try something, she may start crying then what would he do?!

"Yeah...OK, let's try jumping into the well and pretend nothing ever happened. You're not stuck in my time, we didn't leave Shippo without anyone to take care of him.." Kagome mumbled, stumbling over to the well house, Sango and Miroku worriedly following close behind. InuYasha had a deep dark feeling that this wouldn't work, and quite frankly so did they all.

Jumping into the well, several times, in several ways, clinging in pairs at times, they eventually found that they were, indeed, stuck in the future. Without two very important youkai in their lives. It didn't take long for Sango and Kagome to fall prey to their own emotions, tears welling up in their eyes and choked sobs forcing their way out of their throats. They had no choice now but to adapt and move on.

InuYasha carefully led everyone to Kagome's house, opening the door and, without questions from Kagome's curious but worried family, led them to Kagome's room to silently take comfort in each other's presence for a while. He would explain to Kagome's family later, for now Kagome and Sango needed his and Miroku's support. Not that Miroku, himself, wasn't scared, but he was more adaptable than Sango was in many ways, and InuYasha was already use to being there.

It was two whole years before they found themselves accustom to modern life, Sango and Miroku posing as Kagome's cousins and InuYasha becoming the 'family friend' and 'ex-boyfriend'. One of the storage buildings, the one directly connected to Kagome's house by a small walkway, was made into a kind of second home for InuYasha, Sango, and Miroku. It was decorated much like a hut would be, making them more comfortable with their surroundings, and had a bunk bed for Sango and Miroku.

InuYasha, of course, found himself in trees at night.

To spend the days Sango and InuYasha learned to read while Miroku helped Kagome with controlling her powers. It didn't help much, seeing as her powers some how locked themselves away once again. The most she could do was hold up a flimsy little barrier that fell after only a few attacks.

Of course it came to good use when a couple youkai came around demanding that they hand over 'the miko'. That, wonderfully, would tick Kagome off just enough to go on a yelling spree, just to usually get attacked because of one insult she threw or another. It was almost enough for InuYasha to sigh over.

To help around the house Sango and InuYasha were usually the ones cleaning the shrine grounds while the ever lovable Miroku gave tours. Miroku also helped Kagome's grandfather, Tadao, to sell things at the gift shop or work with ancient relics. Miroku was particularly helpful with scrolls. All in all Miroku was the most help out of all of them at the shrine. He even placed a complex spell on the shrine grounds that filtered the air, making it much easier on InuYasha's poor nose. Of course the spell also made it so InuYasha looked like the average ningen, other than the silver hair and golden eyes that is.

Kagome, now out of high school, ended up working at a small ramen shop for her god mother and god father. She, of course, was a waitress and a good one at that. Boys loved her and girls were able to gossip with her. More like Kagome would half listen and they wouldn't notice, but it made the customers happy none the less.

She also found herself fast friends with her co-worker, her god parent's daughter, Keiko. They only saw each other at work, and on occasion the happy girl would find herself at Kagome's shrine. InuYasha knew Kagome wished she could have more time with her friend, but she needed to learn how to control her powers to some extent or something could end up happening to her.

Now that they knew for certain the Noh Mask wasn't a fluke, Kagome had to prepare for the worst. Besides, it was a pain for him to go pick the damn girl up every day. He sighed as he flicked an ear in her direction, listening as she stumbled down the stairs in that stupid skimpy work outfit of hers! He didn't like the fact the owners thought she and Keiko looked adorable in the maid uniform, not one bit!

Not that he could do anything about it, when he tried she denied him ramen when he came to pick her up for nearly a month! His ears flopped over a bit when he thought back on that. It had been one of the worst months he had ever, _ever _had. He stood as she scrambled to put on the knee high boots she had to wear, her apron slung across her waist. He sighed and tied it behind her, not too tightly, but firmly. She was always in such a hurry.

And, with the last of many buckles on her boots, off they went, racing down the sidewalk side by side so Kagome would get to work on time. Adding to the many black skid marks in front of her work, Kagome had to make a quick stop before she passed it up. With a quick wave of her hand he watched as she disappeared into the building while he yelled out chicken ramen for tonight.

Kagome happily smiled at the Yukimuras as she began helping them open. "Morning!" She greeted before bringing out a wet dish rag to clean the tables off. Morning chores consisted of taking the chairs off the tables, cleaning and drying the chairs and tables, making sure condiments are full, and checking to see if the Yukimuras had the stoves ready before flipping on the open sign.

Luckily Keiko was there today, already taking down the last of the chairs.

"Welcome, Kagome-chan! What does InuYasha want tonight?" Mrs. Yukimura asked and Kagome grinned.

"Chicken, Yukimura-'kaasan." Kagome answered before wiping off the next table.

"Oh! Kagome! Yusuke said some of his friends and him may come by today, he said if he can't make it K-Shuuichi and his mother will definitely be coming in. Shuuichi's mother and him haven't gotten to spend much time together after she remarried and stuff so he thought it'd be nice for her to meet his friends. I don't think Kuwabara will come, Yukina and Genkai said something about needing him for something." Keiko said, waving a hand dismissively at the thought. "And Hiei's not really...social. He does come through when it comes to Kurama, though, so I don't know. Yusuke's job keeps him pretty busy, I never know when he's around.."

"Thanks for the warning, from how much you talk about him you'd think you two would already be married with a kid on the way." Kagome teased, getting a sopping wet rag thrown at her. "Hey now! You two are engaged no need to throw things!" Kagome whined and ducked as Keiko's secondary rag went soaring over head.

"Yes, and it was hard work getting him to commit this much! For gods sake he still drools over any other woman with nice legs..." Keiko pouted prettily causing Kagome to giggle.

"Its a disease, Keiko, and its called being male." Kagome said and Keiko giggled before going to pick up her two rags. "You won't be hurting me if he starts looking at me will you? I mean it won't be my fault, just hope you know that."

"Yes, Kagome, I know, I'll only hurt him." She responded and wiped off the last table. "...Maybe."

"Maybe?! Keiko? Keiko?!" Kagome called after her as the other woman went to put away her rags.

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Kurama shook his head as he felt Hiei's glares burning into the back of his head. Oh he knew the little hybrid didn't want to be there, it was a ningen restaurant after all, however he was the only other one that would come along! Kuwabara was being the designated bag holder for Yukina and Genkai's shopping trip, and Yusuke was running around looking for that Kagome girl! He nearly shook his head but instead settled for telling his mother how good the ramen was at Keiko's little restaurant.

/_**Well, well, well, I smell something delectable, Red.**_/ A certain spirit fox told Shuuichi mentally, grinning at the scent of rain forests and thunderstorms almost over-powered by the annoying smell of a kiwi melon soap.

/_Yes, and that something delectable you won't be having, Youko. If I'm smelling correctly it's coming from Keiko's restaurant and we are NOT doing her coworkers._/ Shuuichi growled at the ever needy fox. He was always looking for a good woman, and damn it he just wasn't that kind of guy!

/**Right, Red, whatever you say.**/ He took in the scent again, wondering how he didn't catch the less powerful scent of jasmine and lilies. It wasn't her own, but someone she had been around for extended periods of time. There was also some other scents, one almost smelling of whiskey while the other distinctly smelling of dog.

He almost sneered at the smell. Dog. He hated, _hated _dogs. Ever since his run in with that damned Lord Sesshoumaru and his guard dog of a kitsune. How he actually got a kitsune to become so damn loyal to him was beyond him, but damned if the bugger wasn't.

"Here we are, mother, Yukimura Ramen." Shuuichi said and opened the door for her and Hiei, whom growled lowly at him.

"You owe me, fox." He said under his breath as he entered the establishment. Kurama sighed and nodded as he quickly followed.

"Shuuichi! Hiei! Mrs. Minamito! Come in, come in!" Keiko greeted from the counter as another girl quickly made her way to another table with three bowls of ramen. Surprisingly the ramen was for a single male! Kurama blinked in surprise when he found that was the dog scent he had smelled. Hiei's sense of smell was no where near his, but he should be able to tell that that was no ningen.

"Kagome, get their drinks while I tell mom and dad their here!" Keiko called out to the girl, Kagome apparently, and disappeared behind a curtained room.

"Oi! Tell 'em Souta wants some too! He's gonna stop by after school!" InuYasha called out to Keiko, and Kagome smiled.

"Don't mind him, he's a bit on the rude side sometimes but he's a real sweetie underneath. Si-eh take a seat where ever you like, we'll be closing up soon." Kagome said with a small smile, glancing over at the silver haired man only breifly. Her eyes glowed with a knowledge beyond her years, and an almost warning glint in them. Hiei scowled at her but followed Kurama's mother to a comfortable booth by the window. "If you haven't noticed, I'm Kagome, Keiko's friend and coworker! You know what you'd like to drink?" She asked, not even noticing her aura flaring out and creeping towards Hiei.

Hiei, however, noticed easily but didn't flinch as his own aura responded in kind and grasped onto hers. She visibly jumped when it made contact, but carried on taking down their orders without so much as a flinch after that. When she came back with their drinks, two waters and an iced tea, she grinned happily at them as if she didn't _know. _

But he knew she did, Kurama knew she did. This was the girl that Yusuke was currently running all over the city looking for. He watched her carefully as she cleaned up after the inu hanyou, InuYasha he now knew, and scolded him for making the mess. Of course the male growled at her but helped her clean up none the less.

"Kagome, you feel it right?" Hiei and Kurama both heard the hanyou say under his breath and they both saw Kagome nod.

"It's alright, InuYasha, they aren't tainted with evil, though they do have some taint it's nothing serious. If it were I'd have called for you, you know that. Now stay seated and watch them if you want, but I can promise you they aren't here to hurt me or Keiko." Kagome damn near purred out to the hanyou. Hiei felt an odd chill run up his spine and he mentally growled, wishing he could kill the girl simply because of her voice.

"Kagome, come on and meet my friends!" Keiko said when she reappeared, dragging Kagome by the hand to their booth. Kagome put on that annoying small smile and Hiei almost pulled out his sword. That fake smile was pissing him off. It nearly screamed 'be good or die', he'd gotten plenty smiles like that from Mukuro. "Shuuichi, Hiei, Mrs. Minamito, this is Kagome Higurashi! And mister grumpy over there is InuYasha, for those wondering he's basically her ex-boyfriend and bodyguard." Keiko said and grinned when Kagome growled at her.

"He is _not _my ex, never dated him and never will! Bodyguard, eh, yeah. You could say that. I'd rather say overly protective older brother that should realize I only have issues at home and _never _had any problems here!" Kagome said loudly, causing the inu to snort.

"The moment I leave you alone you'll get kidnapped or something again!" InuYasha growled out and Kagome sweat-dropped.

"Oh my, kidnapped?" Mrs. Minamito asked and Kagome nodded.

"Kouga-kun, when I met him, kidnapped me and basically was using me to get back at Inu-kun over there. Of course, I got angry and slapped him and for the longest time he went around claiming me as his woman!" Kagome said, changing up the story for current company and not bothering to mention that wasn't the first nor last time she was kidnapped. "He and InuYasha didn't get along well-ever-and any time Kouga-kun would come around with flowers or something there'd be a fight." Kagome sighed and Keiko giggled.

"InuYasha is a lot like Yusuke." Keiko added, wrapping her arms around Kagome. "But Kagome's not enough like me to fall in love with someone like that, ne, Kagome?"

"Boyfriends are too much work and I have too little time. Between babysitting mister lunkhead over there, working out, meditating, taking care of the shrine, and keeping up with my family there is no time at all for myself, you know that!" Kagome said, poking Keiko in the forehead and smiling at the group in front of her. She mentally cursed herself for letting it slip she took care of a shrine, hinting at where she lived.

"Wait, back up a bit, you had a kidnapper who fell in love with you? And you let him keep coming around to see you?" Kurama asked, surprised and shocked at this bit of information and she nodded.

"I didn't like him that way, but he always came back anyway. Just like Hojo, but he didn't kidnap me he just wouldn't go away...still won't go away." Kagome whined and they heard a snicker from the hanyou.

"Hobo keeps giving her crap for no reason and asking her out on dates even though she always says no and he's dating her friend." InuYasha said, walking over and leaning on the booth. "Stupid shit made it habit to just come by and ask her at least twice a month."

"Inu, that's not nice." Kagome said, smacking him upside the head. "I'll leave you three to enjoy your visit with Keiko, have a nice evening!" Kagome said and started shoving InuYasha back to his booth, sitting with him and scolding him for his harsh words in hushed tones.

"I was hoping she'd stay longer, but anyway, do you know what you want to order? The special is chicken today!" Keiko said and grinned as InuYasha happily told Kagome he wanted more. "As you can see Inu is a regular..." She giggled out, eyes turning to Kagome as she went into the back muttering about spoiled dogs and their ramen.

"I can hear you ya know!" InuYasha yelled out at Kagome, shaking a fist at her back. Kagome rolled her eyes and sent him a glare that very clearly stated 'wait until we get home'. Hiei and Kurama watched in amusement as InuYasha's anger turned into fear as he lowered his head and pouted in his seat.

"I believe I would like the beef ramen, if you wouldn't mind, Keiko." Kurama said and his mother nodded.

"Me as well, does it come with egg?" She asked and Keiko smiled.

"For you it does! What about you Hiei?"

"Supreme." Hiei said and Keiko nodded. He always ordered the pork, beef, chicken mix. He probably also wanted it rare and with a few half cooked eggs as well. She learned from Kurama that Hiei's body temperature tended to 'cook' food a bit more in his stomach, sometimes resulting in normal foods to become crispy and not very easy on the digestive system. It was one reason he liked softer and sometimes colder foods. Or, at least, that was Kurama's thoughts on the matter, he had never really thought so much on it before and it was a spur of the moment explanation for her.

Heading into the back Keiko relayed the order to her parents who had just handed Kagome two more bowls of chicken ramen. Kagome happily walked out, giving the ramen to InuYasha, who ate a bit less messily than he had earlier. Heads turned as a teen walked in, dressed in all blue with shoulder length dark brown hair, he looked a bit like Yusuke.

"Souta! Come on in, do you want your usual?" Kagome asked and Souta nodded with a grin. "Don't make a mess, I just cleaned up after InuYasha just a second ago." Kagome warned, shaking a finger in his face before heading into the back and coming back out with pork ramen, she was glad InuYasha had warned her her brother was coming.

"Sis, Sango told me to tell you the bird rose and fell." Souta said and Kagome nodded with a frown. Another youkai attack so soon? The last one was just last week.

"You been keeping up with your studies with Miroku?" Kagome asked and Souta nodded. He had been meditating and learning the ways of a monk with the lecher while Kagome was away.

"His schooling is tough, but he says I'll be helping around the house soon." Souta replied InuYasha smiled, showing his fangs for all to see.

"Knew ya had somethin' to ya kid, you're too much like your sister not to." The golden eyed male said before cocking his head, thinking out loud. "I wonder if you'll have issues like she did."

Kagome hit him on the back of the head and scowled. "Not the place to discuss that, InuYasha, besides, its just a known fact that my issues stem from the stupid bauble."

"Kagome, the stupid thing is gone and birds still come." Souta said and Kagome took on a sad look in her eyes.

"We don't know for sure, Souta, and I think they will always come. You know I'm the same as that day..." Kagome muttered, plopping down next to her brother. He nodded. She hadn't seemed to age for the past two years, she never lost or gained muscle mass, even during that short time of depression that they all went through. She had stayed in bed with Sango much of that time and while Sango had to end up going to exorcise to get back in shape, Kagome didn't.

She stood after a while, her skirt flowing gracefully as she did so, and Hiei felt that chill again. He glared at her for all he was worth before hearing an annoying kitsune spirit laughing in his head.

/**Problems oh forbidden one?**/ Youko asked, amused at the fact the little fire youkai was watching the miko so closely.

/_Leave him be, Youko._/ Shuuichi said, shaking his head and taking more comfort in his mother's presence.

\_If we didn't need her I'd be hunting her down..something isn't right about her..._\ Hiei snarled telepathically, watching as the girl in question leaned down to give her brother and the inu hanyou a kiss on the cheek. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he watched this. Something was definitely not right about her. He was reacting very strange, and his aura willingly touched hers, both sides of his aura not just one.

/**I don't see anything wrong with the sexy little delicacy other than she needs a good romp in the hay. **/ Youko purred out, tail swaying slowly. He really wanted to taste the miko, he'd never had one of them before.

/_No, Youko, she's needed and I'd rather not you be purified because you want a one night stand. Seriously, Hiei, I don't see anything wrong with her other than she's so accepting of that hanyou. Then again, she may not know what youkai are. When your aura touched hers it seemed to give her a sudden feeling of awareness for a second, but other than that she may not even have known her aura was seeking you out._/ Shuuichi said, but shook his head. /_On the other hand it really sounded like they were talking in code over there. I mean, birds? She could be involved with the youkai that keep disappearing around this area._/

\_I just want her to power up the barrier so I can kill her. After we ditch your mother we should get a hold of the detective._\

/**Or just let me out, I'm sure I can convince her to come along, then we get her to power up the barrier and she'll be so drained of her power she couldn't possibly purify me! I like that idea!**/ Youko said with a grin only to receive two glares and a telepathic smack to the head from Shuuichi.

/_We are not bedding any miko at anytime Youko, especially not one compatible with Hiei. I mean, no offense Hiei, but other than you, Youko, Hiei is the most blood thirsty and ruthless youkai I know. A compatible soul would be someone who can be comfortable with that, right? Wouldn't that make her miss killing spree herself?_/ Shuuichi had a point. Hiei snorted at the fact that they were compatible, though. The aura thing had to be just a fluke.

"Bitch, hurry up and lets go!" InuYasha yelled, old habits surfacing, only to get punched in the gut by Souta.

"If she could remember everything about what you two had together she's sit you to hell, you know that right?" Souta hissed at the dog, who only nodded.

"I don't understand how she can remember all the things about everyone else but her mind locked all those things we had together away. I think it has something to do with what happened with the bauble the last day, that damned dust it made. Or even when Fluffy brought her back. Her eyes looked like a kid's for a while." InuYasha grumbled in a hushed voice and Souta nodded.

"I think its better this way, Inu, if she doesn't remember maybe she can move on and so can you." Souta said, patting InuYasha on the back before finishing up his ramen. "Sis! Sango's probebly knocked out Miroku by now without one of us there to stop the hentai, so I'll be heading home!"

"OK, Souta, just remember to meditate for a while until he wakes up!" Kagome shouted back, entering the room helping Keiko carry her friend's orders. "Hope you enjoy the food!" The two said as they set the ramen on the table for the three guests.

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Kagome sighed as she finished up work, following InuYasha to the back alley of the place before climbing onto his back, both unaware of the ruby red eyes following their every move. "You know, one day we're going to be caught, what will we say?" Kagome said and InuYasha smirked.

"I'll beat anyone who sees up and you can use your powers to erase their memories!" He offered and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Yeah like I've ever been able to control my powers well at all." She snapped as he jumped onto the nearest roof. God he hated the tight jeans they made him wear, but Kagome said he looked good in them so he really didn't mind.

"Its OK, Kagome, you will soon, Miroku's sure of it. Besides, the dreams you've been having..." InuYasha's voice trailed off there as Kagome whacked the back of his head.

"Don't you even suggest those dreams will be coming true! I don't know how we killed the bastard off, but I sure as hell don't want to face him again! I _died _in that battle, you said so yourself! If it weren't for your brother I'd be six foot under feeding the grass!" Kagome snarled at him, causing the hanyou to chuckle.

"Nah, we won't let it happen again, 'Gome. You just sit back and let me protect you." InuYasha said, but their stalker could see the pain and sadness in his eyes.

"Then why was he my shield from you, Inu-kun? Why would my mind process that thought? You've always been there for me, I get that, but why would I need someone to protect me from my protector?" Kagome asked with a small voice and the dog's sadness grew.

"Because, back then, there was something distracting me from protecting you. It got in the way, prevented me from doing my job right. But now I'll make it all up to you, you'll see." He said and Kagome sighed, laying her chin on his shoulder as they bound from roof to roof.

"I hope so, Inu, because he's not here any more. I don't feel him. I think I needed him around sometimes, like he gave me strength when things went bad. I remember telling him things, what I don't know, but I know I talked to him a lot when I could get a private moment with him. Rin and Shippo were sometimes there too, I think." Kagome added and InuYasha nodded.

"Yeah, he favored you a little without meaning to. You didn't love each other or nothin', he still saw you as a worthless ningen to a point, but he let you get away with the same things Rin did. He didn't smile at you or pat your head like he did Rin, I don't think, but he listened to you when you went off crying. I think he knew something would happen, and in the end he knew you were worthy of life." InuYasha told her and she smiled.

"You sure know how to make a girl feel special, Inu-kun, if you weren't so in love with Kikyo I'd come after you m'self!" Kagome joked, unknowingly hurting him.

"Yeah, yeah, bitch, lets just get home so you can train. Stupid girl." InuYasha said, Hiei recognized this reaction. He was protecting his emotions by taking things out on her. Yusuke did this every so often, blaming others for what he felt. It surprised him when the girl just laughed.

"OK, Puppy. I'll train so you don't have to protect me at all any more. You'll see! I'll take down the biggest youkai that comes for me next time!" Kagome said and the boy chuckled.

"As if you could, 'Gome! Last time you tried you had to nearly get kidnapped again, and then you fell fifty feet!" InuYasha grinned, hearing her huff. "I had to catch you before you went splat!"

"Stupid dog!" Kagome growled out, punching him in the head as they landed on the shrine grounds. She waited for him to enter the house before turning her eyes towards the Goshinbaku. Her eyes lingered there a moment before she let a small smile drift onto her face.

"I feel you there, and I know you followed us. You probably have questions, and you'll probably tell your kitsune friend, come by the restaurant earlier in the day, InuYasha only comes in the mornings and later at night to make sure I'm not attacked. I'll answer your questions then, if you answer mine as well." Kagome said, causing Hiei to scowl at her. Jumping down from the tree he looked her in the eyes. One thing Kagome noticed was the fact that his eyes seemed to glow a blood red in the dark, but she smiled at him anyway.

That smile was pissing him off. It clearly said she wasn't afraid of him, at all. "I could be here to kill you, you know." Hiei growled out and Kagome nodded.

"You could, but you heard how I can't control my powers well enough to fight back. The way you hold yourself reminds me of someone who was very honorable. You wouldn't kill a defenseless person, enslave or hurt them maybe and I can deal with that, but wouldn't not kill them. I see the taint of your aura, the horrible life you've had to live. I also see why you did have to lead that life. Your blood should have never played a part in it all. You aren't at fault for being born, Hiei. Know that here, at least, you are accepted. We welcome you into are home with open arms, should you need a place to come to." Kagome said, sad eyes looking to him. "Unlike what he believes, Hiei, I never forgot him. His pain was almost as great as yours, however, he found the love he was looking for. Find your own as well, and your life will have much more meaning to yourself." She added and walked into the house, dismissing him.

He really, _really _wanted to kill her now. How dare she pry into his past, how did she do that?! All from one touch of the aura?! He bared his teeth at the closed door and hopped back into the Goshinbaku, telepathically relaying the information to Kurama. She knew too much for her own good, when Koenma was finished with her she would die.

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White, leathery bat wings flapped impatiently as a hanyou placed a red orb into a glass case. She was glad she could hold up the barrier for another three years, seeing as Koenma's team was so incompetent they couldn't locate the woman, even when given her unusual name! She snorted with an odd sort of grace while she pulled her silver strands of hair into a ponytail. She was damn close to going and finding Kagome herself!

"Shiori-chan! Shiori-chan!" Kuronue called from his office. She was glad she had him resurrected after that mess he had gotten himself into with that stupid fox. He was her uncle, after all, and it would have been a great loss. He was particularly helpful when it came to pulling information from that brat of a Prince, threatening to tell Kurama that he had been resurrected and never told of this would send the fox into a rage.

"What do you want, Kuronue? I'm kind of busy keeping youkai from entering Ningenkai here!" Shiori grouched out, pulling out a wrench from her lilac lab coat and Kuronue grinned.

"But I think Hiei and Kurama found her!" He said happily, causing Shiori to glare at him.

"If this is another false alarm, my dear uncle, I'll have to kill you." Shiori snapped and he held open a file, a picture of the subject clearly staring back at her. Her toothy grin was child like and slightly scary, given her fangs were longer than normal bat youkai.

"Tell Koenma this is her! Look at her! She hasn't aged a day since I last saw her! Oh how beautiful she always was...And don't you dare think of what I think you're thinking! She is off limits to you and anyone else who wants her until I inform Shippo-sama! He'll have missed his mother, don't ya think? I mean, you were there when she saved us all, he was only a little kit then! He'll be so happy!" Shiori was just about glowing in her happiness, getting back to work with a renewed vigor. "Get everything in tip top shape! I want this place perfect when she comes! Can't have her thinking I let my team slack off!"

"Yes ma'am! Just let me inform Koenma about this!" Kuronue said and was immediately off to talk to their boss. Shiori was in too good a mood to roll her eyes, but she did stick out her tongue childishly at the thought of the boy-god. As her uncle left she grabbed her phone and dialed quickly.

"Hey, Shippo around?"

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"Koenma-sama!" Jorge exclaimed as he ran in with Kuronue hot on his heels. "Shiori has confirmed this is the girl! Kagome Higurashi. Sunset Shrine, Tokyo. She actually works with Yusuke's fiance, Keiko! She was right under our noses the entire time!"

Koenma pinched his nose and groaned. Right under their noses, completely unaware that they were looking for her, and he _had _to tell Yusuke to keep this mission to himself and not a word to Keiko. The one time the girl doesn't get kidnapped or something she's working with the target! Ugh. "We will retrieve her first thing in the morning. Tell Botan she's to gather everyone by eight, we leave here at eight thirty. If Shiori has anyone who should come along, Kuronue, they should be here at that time. We will not be waiting on anyone, do you understand?"


	3. Chapter 3

Don't own YYH or IY or any of it's characters.

**Chapter 2: Conceit is God's gift to little men. **

"Why did the prince tell him not to tell her?" A girl asked, her dark hair glistening green in the low light of the candle lit room. Her brown eyes looked at the story weaver with curiosity and a bit of anger at the stupid prince. She looked no more than four or five, and yet she had an understanding of things some of the others did not.

A boy spoke up, sitting in his grandfather's lap, his eyes a deep indigo and his hair a light blue. It seemed all the children inherited things from their grandparents more than their parents themselves. "The prince wanted to keep the girl safe. He thought she would get kidnapped again, as she has in the past." The boy pushed up his glasses while saying this, he knew his was more intelligent than the average child but he was a shy boy, never quite talking unless it was to explain something.

"He's right, little one, it was fear for the girl that drove him to do such a thing. Would you want to tell your mommy something if you knew it could hurt her in the end?" The woman asked, waving a hand towards the girl's mother whom was busy setting up more rose colored candles. The young girl shook her head and frowned. "Then let us continue with the story, little ones."

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And so the next morning, right as Kagome started heading out the house to work, she ran right into the prince of Reikai. In his teen form, of course, she was a beautiful woman after all. InuYasha, however, was not suppose to be in the picture.

If Shiori had thought she'd have issues when she came to this place she would have never, _ever _come. However, she took a good look at the inu that stood protectively with Kagome and damn near froze. She hadn't felt attracted to him as a girl!

((_Damn it. DamnDamnDamn.))_ She didn't even think about the open link between her and Kuronue at the moment. He had, after all, wanted to 'watch the show' he had said.

(_Having issues, oh young one?) _Kuronue asked, and she could see him smirking as he worked at his desk, sending papers to Koenma or Enma, some times to Kaze when things needed to get approved with haste.

((_Don't you start with me you old bat!_)) Shiori shouted at him before letting a smiling mask fall into place. She was _not _prepared for a handsome hanyou. Not at all. Damn it she was nervous as hell now!

"Who the hell?!" InuYasha began, only to stop dead in his tracks and stare at the bat hanyou. "Sh-Shiori? Shit you're all grown up 'n' crap now!" InuYasha said, causing Kagome to forget about apologizing to the cute male she just bumped into and look over at the winged hanyou.

InuYasha gave the woman a once over. She had her silken silver hair up in a high ponytail, stray strands framing her face only to curl back up and fight to remain in the sloppily placed hair band. Her eyes were still that same violet color, sparkling with amusement at his comment. She had grown into her wings and ears, he could see, her ears were almost elven looking and her wings had white scaled skin on them, shining different colors as the sunlight hit them just right. Her delicate hands were placed on her hips, much like Kagome's would when she was sitting him, and they were tipped with violet claws. Interesting, she had a gas like poison, much like the late Naraku. She wore a tight light orange dress that stopped at the thigh, a lilac lab coat over that. He assumed for modesty's sake since he didn't have any knowledge on lab coats just yet. He was surprised by her open toed violet heels, though. How the hell did she walk in those things?!

"I couldn't stay a child forever, you know, a certain kitsune tried his best to, but that all ended when he realized one year he had a major growth spurt. A pity, he was shorter than me for the longest time." Shiori said, her ears wiggling a bit with amusement dominating her features. Her eyes were amazing, more almond shaped now than they had been. Her petite nose was slightly wrinkled as she gave a huge smile and a giggle. Her teeth even drew his attention at how pointed her fangs were. They'd hurt like hell if she took to biting.

Now that was an interesting stray thought...When had he ever thought about how painful a woman's bite could be?

"SHIORI!" She cried, throwing herself in the woman's open arms. "Shiori, I'm so jealous of your boobs right now." Kagome said as she pulled back from the blushing demoness. She looked around at the amused males around her and heard the giggling of Sango from the front door. "WHAT?! I didn't expect her to get bosoms so big! I mean look how cute and bouncy they are! They aren't like Sango's, mind you, but they sure as hell put mine to shame! I bet your mate loves'em eh?" Kagome prattled on and both Sango and Shiori turned beet red.

"Ka-Kagome-sama I've never had a mate and don't have the time for one...like ever. I'm here mainly because, well, we need your help. Kagome, let me introduce you to the Prince of the Reikai, Koenma. You kind of plowed into him on your way out.." Shiori said with a grin as Kagome's face took on the same blush she, herself, had been sporting.

"Gomen! I was rushing to work and I'm always so late and Keiko is so going to kill me!" Kagome screeched and Miroku chuckled.

"I will go and make your excuses, Kagome-sama. You have more important buisness to attend to, apparently." Miroku said with a slight bow to the guests before leaving. InuYasha, however growled loudly.

"Don't you be a pervert while you're there you lech! Keiko will tell Kagome if you are and I ain't saving your ass! And, you bastards, I don't fucking care what you want with her, or that you have Shiori with you! She ain't going until we know exactly what the hell is going on!" The inu said and Kagome rolled her eyes, looking over to Kurama and Hiei.

"Safe to say you two are going to be practically permanent fixtures in my life, seeing as I'm now becoming involved with Reikai." She said and dusted off her maid uniform. "Ugh I have to meet all important figures in my life in a short skirt don't I?" She muttered causing Shiori and Sango to giggle. InuYasha rolled his eyes.

/**I like the skirt. She looks like a present just waiting to be opened!**/ Youko said, causing Shuuichi to swallow a groan of frustration.

/_We are NOT going to screw around with a miko, much less a girl who knows Keiko. Not now not ever._/ Shuuichi was ready to go home now. Away from females of all kinds. Yup. He should go home and wait for the next fan girl so Youko could get his kicks then he could happily walk around for a bit without Youko begging for sex with anything that moved.

/**Red you really annoy me sometimes with your refusal to take what's so readily given to us! Look at her! She's so..so yummy!**/ Youko exclaimed, licking his chops at the thought of tasting the little miko.

"I almost thought you didn't have any other kinds of clothing for the longest time, wench." He grunted out, earning him a good kick in the shin.

"I have a name, dog, use it!" Kagome snarled out before turning back towards the Spirit Detective group. "You all know my name, would it be too much to ask for yours?"

Koenma smiled and nodded. "I am Prince Koenma of the Reikai, these are my detectives, in order, Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara. You know the head of the barrier upkeep department, Shiori, and lastly is my ferry girl, Botan. You'll meet Shiori's assistants once we get back to Reikai. I am sure you won't have any issues sparring some energy for the sake of man kind?"

Souta snorted from the doorway. "Sounds like you need her pretty badly, what is the power going to be used for? And why does it help man kind at all? Do you honestly expect us to automatically trust you?"

"Look kid-" Yusuke started but Kagome threw him a cold glare that promised pain.

"Don't talk down to my brother if you know what's good for you, hanyou." She said, only to hear InuYasha's snarl. "Inu, I'm addressing him by what he is because I refuse to use his name if he's going to be talking that way to my family. It is not an insult. Get over it or go inside." She added, her voice causing the inu hanyou to shudder in fear.

"Whatever, 'Gome, call me if a fight breaks out." He said as he headed back inside, realizing Kagome was going to settle things peacefully. Sango put a hand on Kagome's shoulder and smiled.

"Kagome dislikes anyone who could be remotely a threat to her family, and can easily kill you all. Mainly those with demon blood, but she's been known to burn a few ningen pretty good too." Sango said, grinning at Koenma. "She also did a number on a great god once, I think you may know him, _Koenma-sama _his name is Enma." Sango lied easily, not about Kagome meeting the man, its just Kagome never fought him or anything, though Kurama and Hiei could smell it on her they didn't even hint at the fact she did.

Kagome thought back on the god, Enma, he wanted her as a wife alright, but gave her a choice. He was a kind man that way, but quite frankly the thought of being all powerful and ruling over the world did not appeal to her at all. Especially knowing how many humans would populate the earth in _this _time.

Koenma gulped and Hiei smirked at his discomfort. Kagome pinched Sango's hand and glared at her. "It's not like I'll be hurting them, Sango. Now, answer my brother's questions, prince."

"We need holy power to keep up the barrier between worlds. It prevents most youkai from entering Ningenkai from Makai, though at the moment the barrier is weakening. It will fall in about three years time unless it gets this power." Koenma said and Kagome's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"So it was your fault." Kagome just about growled, her eyes turning nearly silver in her anger. Sango jumped back and Souta scowled at the prince from the doorway. "Its your fault my son can't get back to me!" Kagome said, clenching her fists. "Shippo, Kouga, Sesshoumaru..everyone! I thought they died and you have them trapped like animals behind some barrier!" She yelled, backhanding the prince, burning his cheek slightly without realizing it. Her powers were lashing out with her anger, causing Sango's eyes to take on a fearful look. It lashed out like this only when there was immediate danger! Why was it doing so now?!

"Do you realize what you have done?! When the barrier eventually falls, and it will, it will bring back the Feudal Era! Blood will stain the ground red when the war comes! Who will become dominant, the youkai whom love battle as it is, or the ignorant ningen?! You have _no _clue what you've done!" Kagome continued to shout, tears building up.

"Calm down, Kagome!" Souta shouted, but Kagome glared at him over her shoulder as InuYasha came into view.

"NO, Souta! Do you realize what's going to happen when the barrier falls!? The prejudice I tried to break will reawaken! Ningen will fear the Youkai, and the Youkai will see us as food! Sheep to be rounded up! You all are ignorant! I had several villages that would now welcome anyone, hanyou, youkai, or ningen, and I hoped that would spread! Shiori, I am ashamed of the fact you support this. Let me guess, Sesshoumaru and my friends fought tooth and nail?"

Shiori nodded hesitantly. "Sesshoumaru-sama said something very similar. Said that when the time comes and when things settle down hanyous will have to go through the pain once more, forbidden children would not have a chance as ningen will be disgusted with simple hanyous as it is. He still holds the West, Lord Kouga and Lord Shippo hold the Eastern territories together. Lady Mukuro and Lord Yomi rule over the South, and Lord Yusuke's hands are being held for him when the time comes for him to step up as a Lord. The Lords of the West and East welcome _knowing _ningen into their lands. I always believed they thought you'd find them one day."

Tears stung her eyes as she fell to her knees in tears. "All those years of pain will begin anew, and it's all your fault, you damn bastard!" Kagome yelled at Koenma, only to have Kagome latch onto her.

"Calm down!" InuYasha yelled, his skin burning where he came in contact with her. "Kagome...You're hurting me." InuYasha switched tactics and it worked. Immediately.

Kagome looked to InuYasha and her eyes widened. "InuYasha! Oh god, Inu-kun I'm sorry!" Kagome shoved him to the ground, turning her backs to the group of visitors before pulling open the door to her powers slightly, biting her lip in concentration as she tried to pull away the holy from the elemental and spiritual. Successfully doing so she looked for that pale blue thread, the ice element, and grasped hold of it. Carefully, cautiously, she held her palm over InuYasha and watched with deep blue eyes as her power came forth to heal him.

She was happy she could at least do this when her powers decided to lash out. Sweat covered her brow by the time she was finished, Kurama noticed with an odd sense of wonder. She was having difficulties with her power, struggling with it almost constantly to keep it under control. Her aura was much like Hiei's clashing and shifting between two colors, hers were a powder pink and dark blue, unlike Hiei's crimson and periwinkle blue.

It wasn't until she made sure, completely, that the hanyou was healed that she turned back to the people who needed her help, wiping her brow with her sleeve as she spoke. "You leave me no fucking choice but to help, but I will be building a sanctuary of sorts here, for those youkai that come through with no ill intent. Hiei, for example, will be allowed into my sanctuary. Free from you. Free from the barrier. I _will _be talking to Enma about this, do not doubt that he will deny me my requests." She hissed at Koenma and glared at Shiori, causing the hanyou to back away slightly.

"Kagome-sama, I only began helping about a hundred years ago, after the barrier began failing the first time." Shiori said and Kagome nodded in understanding before standing.

"InuYasha, Sango, Souta, we'll be going with them to power this barrier _after _we get Miroku and talk to Enma." Kagome stated and Koenma scowled at her.

"You will address my father with respect, y-you ignorant fool!" Koenma shouted and Kagome turned her still silver eyes at him.

"_You _are the ignorant fool, young _prince. _I'm not surprised you don't know of me, your father was and probably still is a vain man. He would not have told you I turned down his proposal, you were very young then, still nursing on your mother. Your father should have known better than to put such barriers into place, they would only serve to bring about destruction in the end. The youkai are not beasts to keep in cages, they think, they feel, and I have no doubt, in the end, they are all restless. They know this isn't how things were suppose to be, they know that the barrier is just what you all meant it to be, a cage." Kagome said and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"Like you know _anything _you stupid girl!" Koenma snapped, but Kagome merely continued.

/_You do realize he came in that form with every intention of wooing said 'stupid' girl?_/ Shuuichi pointed out to Hiei who's smirk was devilishly wicked at the moment.

_\He's doing a good job of fucking up his chances instead. After all this I believe he'll actually let me kill the damn ningen.\ _Hiei said rather happily, his fingers resting lightly on his sword. Oh how he wanted to just pull it out and slice that lovely head right off that delicate little neck of hers...

"Unlike ningen youkai have a natural ability to sense these things, Sesshoumaru was particularly sensitive to things like that. He and Kagura followed the path of the wind, after all. Hiei follows a path of fire, and Shuuichi, or rather Kurama, follows my own path. Earth. Even Yusuke, though hanyou, follows the path of Earth. Whether he realizes it or not, this is the path he has chosen. Now you, on the other hand, have no set path. You, Koenma, are completely and utterly ignorant of the natural way of things. Life and death is all you know, you are unable to comprehend what is, I repeat, _IS _going to happen." Kagome ranted, standing once more and locking eyes with both youkai in the angry demi-god's detective team. "Your team has a better understanding of things than you do. Hiei and Kurama both realize how stupid you are." Kagome said and her eyes darkened to a deep blue.

"Onna we always knew the Reikai's prince was an imbecile." Hiei said and Kurama chuckled.

/**See? She's smart and cute and powerful and...can I have her now?**/ Youko said and Shuuichi rolled his eyes.

/_No, Youko. Besides, she's more Hiei's type, look at her attack Koenma!_/

\_She is NOT my type. As soon as we drain her power I'm going to paint the walls with her blood.\ _Hiei almost purred out. He was getting some pleasant images of actually using her blood to paint walls, dipping his fingers into nice warm flesh and childishly drawing on white walls with the miko's pure blood. Oh, that would just make his day.

"Now, Hiei, that is no way to talk about our boss, we haven't worked off our punishments after all." Kurama said, smiling at Kagome in a way that annoyed her. Annoyed Sango too. His smile changed to a more childish one as his eyes lightened to an almost green apple color. "Even if somethings are true."

"Hn." Hiei agreed, a amused light dancing in his red eyes.

"You sons of a--" Koenma started only to be cut off by Sango.

"Kagome, me and InuYasha will get ready for our trip, I'll pack your things for you, but I think you should change." Sango said and walked into the house. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Like I'm not use to traipsing about Feudal Japan in a skirt." She mumbled and turned to follow, watching as InuYasha walked in grumbling about Sango volunteering him for things he wasn't going to do. "You guys can come on in and Souta will lead you to the living room where you can relax while we get ready." Kagome said and looked pointedly at her brother who nodded with a small snort.

"Follow me fools and friends." Souta said and rolled his eyes when Koenma huffed in anger. "Remember, you mess with me you mess with sis, she doesn't take kindly to that." Souta said with a smirk as he watched them file into the living room. Kun Loon took that time to enter the room with refreshments.

"Tea anyone? Looks like my daughter is getting herself mixed up in something big again. And bringing her brother in on the business too." She sighed as she handed out the tea. "Oh but who am I kidding, Kagome wouldn't be Kagome without something going on. I suppose that's why she's been training with Miroku and Sango... Oh but look at me prattling away, I should be getting you some snacks! If you'll excuse me." With that her and Souta were gone, however Kagome was now practically skipping back in with InuYasha on her heels.

Everyone was slightly taken aback at how the two dressed, it was rather...odd. Kagome's top looked much like a Miko's would in the feudal era, with a few distinct differences. One was that it cut off just before her belly button, showing off her flat stomach, if one were to look close they'd see the faint starburst scar that marred her skin where Naraku had run her through.

Her sleeves were barely attatched, hanging onto the shoulders with a dark blue thread that also lined the ends of the sleeves in a traditional sort of way. The shirt, itself, was white with a silvery sheen to it, a pattern dark blue crescent moons printed around the collar.

Her hakama pants more traditional, dark blue and billowy, secured tightly at the waist with a black sash and silvery kitsunes sewed into a pattern up her right leg. Around her shoulders was a quiver of arrows and a well designed bow. At her right hip were several daggers and her sleeves seemed heavily weighed down by other objects hidden from sight. Seeing the way she was being stared at Kagome rolled her eyes. "I modified a gift from Sesshoumaru, it was originally a full length shirt. I added kitsunes to honor my son."

And there InuYasha stood, his arms crossed, wearing the brightest red outfit they had ever seen, well most everyone. Hiei and Kurama both recognized the extinct Fire Rat fur. Around his neck was, what looked like, a subjugation necklace and at his hip an old sword. They were shocked to find the hanyou was barefoot and happily wiggling his toes.

"HAH! You talk about youkai freedom and this hanyou is your slave!" Koenma said, pointing accusingly at the woman. She snorted.

"It's for his own safety and others, as you well know hanyou blood is unstable. I'm the only one who can snap him out of it, subduing him holds him in one place so I can get to him." Kagome said, looking at Shiori. "I'm thinking its rare for Shiori to lose control, by your expression, but InuYasha's blood comes from Inu no Taisho, the taiyoukai, and so it's stronger. Over time the more times he loses control the easier it is for it to happen." Kagome said, grinning.

(Strong blood. Sexy.) Kuronue commented to Shiori who ground her teeth in frustration at the older male. She really wished she hadn't given him an open link with her mind at this current moment, but she had promised him he could see.

((Don't have time or want for a male, I'll have you know. If you want him for yourself, take him!)) Shiori said and Kuronue grinned.

(Ah, but I'd rather have that rather cute miko, but with those kitsune on her clothes I'd say she'd go for Youko. Figures.)

((Not too sure about that, she had a kitsune kit. That would be Lord Shippo. She had been in love with InuYasha, but it doesn't seem that way anymore. I'd say she'd go for another angry brooding type. Possibly Yusuke, but she wouldn't do that to Keiko. Hiei? As if he'd let her close enough. Sesshoumaru would have taken her, I'm sure, too bad he mated already. I wonder who the hell she's going to end up with?))

(I want to know who the hell you'll end up with.)

((No one you baka bat!))

(Now, now be nice, we are family after all!)

"You know you know very little of us for knowing a friend of ours." Kagome added, looking to Shiori with a raised brow.

"I am sorry, Kagome-sama, InuYasha-sama, I did not think it would be right to tell them of your secrets and friendships within Makai. If I had thought it was alright I would have brought you Shippo, he has missed you." Shiori said and Kagome smiled, walking over to her and sitting on the floor beside the chair Shiori occupied.

"Shiori, tell me, how is my baby? He was barely a child when I was taken from him." Kagome asked, closing her eyes as she tensed.

"He does not blame you, Kagome. Never fear that. He knows it was that jewel's fault for taking you all away from him. Sesshoumaru took him in, raised him along side Rin. Shippo's one goal was to become strong to protect you, from everything." Shiori said, giving InuYasha a glare causing him to flinch.

"He wanted to become the Shield for my Shield. He wanted to be like Sesshoumaru had been in end." Kagome murmured and Shiori nodded.

"Yes, he wanted you to see that while a shield can protect you, if the shield hurts you you have no defense. While Sesshoumaru would listen, he could not comfort the way your little Shippo can. Shippo is probably waiting with many others for you in my office." Shiori added and Kagome practically tackled the woman with a hug.

"You called them? Told them? I can't wait!" Kagome squealed as Sango walked in with a yellow pack and dressed in her slayer outfit. Youko looked through Kurama's eyes, causing them to flash gold as he took her in. She was nicely curved, and the skin tight outfit left nothing to the imagination, though that sword on her hip and the large Hiraikotsu she was currently letting lean against the wall made her simply deadly.

Dangerously sexy, he liked that! Though, Shiori and Kagome weren't bad themselves, but Sango was more filled out than the two girls, and had a more cat like grace rather than the similarly clumsy grace shared by the miko and the bat hanyou. He would often see Shiori scampering around, late for this or that, sometimes knocking an ogre over with her wings. Kagome seemed much the same, he could imagine her falling and giggling at herself before getting up and continuing onward like nothing happened.

/**Forget the miko, give me the slayer! Look at the curves on her, just begging for me to squeeze, lick, fu--**/

/_For gods sake, Youko! Shut up! If I end up wanting a night with one of the girls I'll let you know! She is pretty but too risky, so she's a no._/

/**...can we try for the bat then?**/

\_Fox control your hormones or find yourself missing an important part of your being.\ _Hiei growled in warning and Youko began to sulk.

"I thought the youkai slayers died out about five hundred years ago." Hiei commented causing Kurama to focus. He was right. Youko narrowed his eyes at the sexy slayer before him but didn't say anything.

"There were two survivors, one was killed in a great battle." Kagome answered for Sango, glancing over to her soul sister. "I'm being trained to wield some of the slayer weapons, I don't quite have the muscle for some of them yet, but I'm okay with a sword I guess."

"Wench, quit yappin' and grab your shit, you don't want to see Shippo just to have to turn around and go home 'cause you didn't get everything, do ya?" InuYasha asked and Kagome shook her head before grabbing the yellow bag and looking through it, making sure she had everything.

"Ne, Shiori, tell me how everyone else has been!" Kagome said as she opened her first aid kit, checking to see if it was fully stocked.

"Lets start with Shippo, he's mated and has six kits! One's adopted and she seems to be part horse, no one is sure. Sesshoumaru mated as well, and has two of his own pups, both of which are at a mating age and he's always told them stories of you so beware a courting. Kouga took a human mate, they have a whole clan of pups." Shiori snorted. "For the longest time people thought it was because she looked like you, but it was proven otherwise when they had a fight over it about three centuries ago. Her father nearly killed the poor wolf. Jinenji always cared for you and continues to live peacefully in a hidden herb garden, very few know how to get to him. All of the ones who do know you." She winked at Kagome causing her to giggle. "And he loves to tell the tale of the girl who never feared his misshapen form, yet was nearly scared to tears by a simple worm."

Kagome blushed. "Oh god, I'm going to kill that sweet lug of a hanyou. You have no idea how embarrassing that was." She said and punched InuYasha's calf, causing him to fall backwards, for laughing. "Not funny, you dog!" Kurama covered an amused smirk Youko slipped onto his face, slightly amused himself at her treatment of the male.

Miroku took that time to walk in, seeing the others dressed the way they were he sighed. "Kagome-sama, what have you gotten us into now? I will dress and return." He said and walked calmly away, easily avoiding a rushing Souta who was dragging a bulging green back pack. Kagome held a cute little pout at the monk until he was gone.

"I don't get us in that much trouble.." She muttered softly before she noticed Souta. "Souta that's way too much! Put some of that in another bag and pack ramen!" Kagome called out to the boy who nodded and ran up to grab another backpack. Kagome walked to the bag he left behind and easily hefted it up onto her shoulder, receiving some shocked looks from the spirit detectives and a certain demi-god. Hiei looked, of course, indifferent, other than his cocked brow, and Shiori was calmly sipping her tea. "What?"

"What do ya mean what? You just lifted that with one hand like it was nothing!" Kuwabara said and pointed a bit rudely. Kagome rolled her eyes and tossed the bag next to hers as her brother ran back down stairs with bag in hand.

"It's called training. Sango, help him grab some cooking supplies, don't forget the spices and tea." Kagome said and Sango nodded, her and Souta heading to the kitchen after Souta finished transferring some items from one bag to another.

"InuYasha, don't just stand there, go see if my mom needs help, she should have had th- Oh, hi mom!" Kagome said as her mother entered with small sandwiches of all kinds. "Sorry 'bout this, mom, I may be gone for a while, and when I get back I'll be building a place in the woods." Kagome said, happily plotting out her youkai sanctuary in her head.

"What kind of place, dear?" Kun Loon asked and Kagome grabbed a napkin and a pen.

"This is home, the shrine grounds, and the woods around us." Kagome started, drawing squares to represent the different buildings and a circular line to separate the grounds and the woods. "Now a little ways out, not too far, just out of sight of the public, I want to start a small village of sorts, like Edo. First I'll have to get Shippo back here to help me grow some good fruit trees and herbs pretty quick, then we'll make small houses and a central building with plumbing and such. This way we can make sure everyone has privacy and modern conveniences. Of course we won't be taking away from nature too much, I'll have Shippo manipulate specific trees for lounging in and we can filter the air like we did for the shrine!" Kagome said happily. Miroku of course came in in the middle of her planning and chattering so opted to stay quiet and in the background.

"Now those in this village will, of course, have to work so we can feed everyone. Maybe small jobs like around the shrine for those who can't be in public, or part time jobs for those who can. Those whom have other commitments can, most likely, still bring in the money some how so long as it isn't illegally." Kagome prattled on, noticing how Hiei, Kurama, and Shiori were now very interested in her plans. "We'll have to start an ecosystem with some deer and stuff for the youkai who eat raw meat, not including you Inu! You can eat cooked food just fine and so you will!"

Shiori giggled at the pout that came across InuYasha's face. He did pout in an adorable puppy way, his ears drooping and the small frown on his face while an amused sparkle came to his eyes. Yes, he was able to pull the puppy pout very well. She watched in veiled amusement as Kagome would cut him off here or there, answering questions he never got the chance to ask. Kagome's eyes, however, told that it made her sad, the way she was handling the man. She wasn't in love with him, and doing this was slightly pushing him away, but she was seeing it as her job to do so. Shiori would have frowned if she hadn't been so giddy over Kagome's youkai village plans.

"Now stop this nonsense this instant!" Koenma suddenly shouted, causing Kagome to jump and hold her chest. Botan covered up a giggle with a cough at the same time Miroku did. They looked at each other with a smile as the shouting started, one holding an oar and the other holding a staff. Miroku winked at her and she turned away with a slight blush while InuYasha hit him in the back of the head for Sango. Someone had to keep the lech on a leash while she wasn't around.

"Good lord, don't do that you twerp!" Kagome shouted, stomping her foot. "And I'm not stopping anything unless your father says so, sorry to say this but as long as I know your father I'm not listening to a single word you say!"

"Y-You little—ARG!!" Koenma growled, gnawing on his pacifier. "FINE! Hurry and gather your stuff and lets go already! I'm sure father can't _wait _to see you!" He said with a smirk, she just rolled her eyes. Yusuke grinned. He had never seen someone able to tick the toddler off so easily, and so often, before. Besides himself of course, but he had years of practice.

"As long as he doesn't try the proposal bit again..." Kagome muttered and watched as Sango and Souta came from the kitchen with the last bag. "Mama, call work and tell them I'm in the hospital or something."

Yusuke snorted. "Don't bother, ask for Keiko and tell her Koenma needed you. She knows. She probably even noticed your buddy over there ain't exactly normal."

"Oh. OH! That means I can really talk to her! Like _really _talk to her! I haven't been able to talk to _anyone _about _anything _other than my family here of course." Kagome said, waving a hand towards her family and friends. She grabbed her yellow monstrosity of a bag, InuYasha picked up Souta's first bag, and Miroku grabbed the last bag. "Ok, we'll be gone for a while, mama, love you tell gramps I'm on a vacation and I _don't _need to have any fake diseases!" Kagome said as Botan opened up a portal. "Ooooh its swirly!" Kagome said as she hopped through before everyone else.

"Stupid girl she's going to get herself killed one day! Kagome! I'm suppose to protect you damn it!" InuYasha said as he and Yusuke both entered at the same time.

"Right. Like I'd let anything happen to her, she hasn't changed at all has she?" Shiori asked Sango, who shook her head.

"Kagome will forever be a child at heart, no matter how many times it breaks." Sango said, a bit sadly as they followed. Shiori raised a brow at that but didn't ask, she could already guess with the sibling like affection between Kagome and InuYasha, when they met it was more of a puppy love thing she had always thought would end in a happily ever after.

But this wasn't some fairy tale.


	4. Chapter 4

Don't own YYH or IY or any of it's characters.

**Chapter 3: It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. **

**As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, **

**they are watching us to see what we do with ours. **

**I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. **

**All I can do is reach for it myself. **

As the last person, Souta, stepped through the portal he caught the end of Kagome's high pitched squeal as she launched herself over a desk at a heavily muscled man with red skin and facial hair galore. InuYasha sighed as he caught Kagome mid-jump and started to lecture her about throwing herself at gods. Miroku and Sango were chuckling while Enma right out laughed.

"Kagome, my sweet, it has been a long time! Come, throw yourself all you want my dear!" Enma's booming voice said and again she childishly squealed and threw herself over the desk and right into Enma's great lap.

Koenma could only think of one word. _Shit._

Hiei smirked as the demi god practically screamed the word mentally, sharing a look with Kurama he leaned against the wall and watched the show.

"Enma~ Your son is mean, you know that? He yelled at me, the little booger, and to think I thought he was such a cute baby!" Kagome whined, causing Enma to throw his son a glare. "And, Enma..." She started sweetly..too sweetly. Enma stiffened as he looked down at her now silvery orbs.

"WHY THE HELL IS THERE A BARRIER BETWEEN NINGEN AND YOUKAI?! HOW DARE YOU START THIS ALL UP AGAIN, DO YOU KNOW THE ISSUES THAT WILL START UP WHEN THE STUPID THING FALLS?!" Kagome yelled, grabbing a clump of Enma's beard and pulling hard.

Koenma nearly choked on his pacifier! Surely this girl had a death wish! Not only yelling at his father but physically abusing him!?

"N-Now dearest, I had no choice when the Miko and Monks started a Holy war..." Enma said and a figure in the doorway snorted.

"I told you she wouldn't be happy, but do you listen to your one wife who knows the girl better than all your others? No! You have to go listening to Mika and Michiru! You know Michiru has a thing against Kagome, seeing as Koenma was barely a few years old when you asked Kagome to be with you." Kagura said, tossing her hands up in the air with frustration. "And I told you your son was a brat and unfit to rule yet. Kagome agrees, I see, and now Kagome's stuck in a crap hole of a world because of him." She added, walking over and pulling a shocked Kagome from his lap and into her arms.

"Y-You married Enma!? Wait, what am I thinking, of course you did. Freedom knows no limits when you marry god." Kagome said and hugged Kagura tight. "You have no idea how much I've missed everyone! Even you you back stabbing evil witch!" Kagome said and Kagura laughed at her.

"Now, now. I think you've shocked Koenma's group, is that your brother? Oh, he's darling! I last saw him when we were checking up on your time hopping, you know, and he was so cute back then! You have to see my child, much more fit to rule than Koenma over there, sticks to the rules but knows when he has to bend them and who for. Named him Kaze, he's beautiful, Kagome, and has no signs of Naraku in him at all!" Kagura prattled on, causing Kagome to laugh.

"Oh god, if I knew you were this fun to talk to I'd have gotten you talking a lot more back then, you know, while you were trying to kill us all." Kagome said, grinning.

"I never _tried _to kill you all, I simply acted convincingly! I did try to kill Kouga's pack, they were rude. Besides, they were filthy beasts acting out of a lust for blood. Now don't give me that look, sweet heart. I did end up befriending the stupid wolf in the end." Kagura said, plopping down into Enma's lap and grinning. "Stole your spot, Kagome dearest, now why are you here?"

Kagome crossed her arms and pouted prettily. "I want to make a youkai sanctuary on my shrine grounds, non-violent youkai that can live peacefully and pass the barrier freely. I mean, if we started slowly introducing ningen to youkai, say slowly the rest of my family. Then friends. Then their friends! Imagine just introducing them under concealment spells to make everyone seem ningen, then as time wears on the more the ningen are exposed to the spell the more they will see. A pointed ear here, a facial marking there. It'd be a good way to start up a way to handle things when the barrier falls." Kagome said and Enma pouted.

"I knew you'd make a good leader! I should have married you back then!" He whined and Kagome laughed.

"No, Enma-kun, I don't love you like that, plain and simple." Kagome said with a wink before skipping over to the others. "Enma-kun, go easy on Koenma, he was doing what he thought was right. Souta! This is King Enma, a god of great power and a very convincing man, unless it comes to me marrying him. Then he's not so convincing."

Enma laughed merrily with Kagura, wrapping his arms around his wife before calming down. "Kagome you are free to do as you wish, Koenma what she wants she _will _get and you are never to stop such actions. InuYasha, Sango, Miroku, I'm sure you are wondering why the jewel has brought you all to the future?"

Everyone stopped to look at the god, InuYasha's usually honey gold eyes turning a darker shade in question.

"You see, Kagome was suppose to die that day, in that battle. We never thought Sesshoumaru would revive her, and in doing so he had thought two thoughts that would resonate through that blade of his. She deserved to live, she deserved happiness. The first thing that was to happen was a way to be with her friends for as long as possible. Of course you were the ones who would not have made it to this time." Enma said before looking to Kagome.

"She also would never have been happy if you weren't, and so you were each bound to someone whom would suit you mentally, physically, every possible way. You will find love in this time. Upon breathing in the shikon's powder each of you should have seen something, anything, a hint to who you are looking for. Kagome saw hers when she was revived." He continued, smiling at Kagura.

"Now as for the others, they've found their lives. Kagura, will you retrieve Shippo from Shiori's department? I think we should bring them in one at a time, have them line up by family outside the door, if you would?" Enma asked and Kagura nodded, disappearing with a light popping sound causing Kagome to cock a brow in question.

"Kagura is our number one ferry girl, my sweet, she's got a few new skills." Enma explained as Kagura popped back in the door way.

She sighed and crossed her arms. "I'm not doing this for myself but for Shippo's entrance. Announcing the Foxy Lord of the East, the magnificent and magical Lord Shippo." She said, hopping out of the way as a man walked in.

The man had a long angular face with three dark green striped on his left cheek. He had bright red hair, not the crimson of Kurama's, but a golden-red that made one think of autumn, that was unbound and flowing freely down to his waist. He had no bangs, and the hair was parted on the left so it slightly covered his right eye, which Kagome noticed had a scar. Her eyes widened in realization. He lost his sight in his right eye. His right eye had a thin film of blue over it, while his left was still the dazzling summer green she always remembered.

He wore a black haori with short sleeves, his fur jacket from his childhood still worn as a half jacket. His haori was tucked into dark blue hakama pants that gathered at his ankles. Gone was his child like puppy fur tail, replaced with eight silken red tails with black tips. His fox feet were gone and two fox ears stood proud on his head. Kagome smiled seeing how they were trained on her, noticing how the black tips had slightly longer fur giving his ears tufts. His feet were covered in slip on black shoes, one of the tips moving slightly. He was wiggling his toes in nervousness.

"My baby's all grown up now, huh?" Kagome said with teary eyes and Shippo tackled her in a hug. Enma smiled at the scene, it was heart warming to see them reunited again.

"Mama!" He cried out, burying his face into her neck. Kagome wrapped her arms around his shoulders while his wound about her waist, holding her as close as possible. She could feel his tears, all his fear and nervousness had really got to him. "Mama!" He choked out again, breathing in her scent. They lay there for what seemed like forever, holding each other and taking comfort in the fact they were finally together again.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, I'm so sorry I had to leave you." Kagome choked out, her own tears falling in rivers. "You've gotten so big..." Kagome said, looking down to see her feet barely went to his thighs while he held her. "_Really _big." Kagome laughed and Shippo let out a happy chuckle.

"I couldn't stay little forever, but I did try!" He said as he pulled them both up, pulling her into his lap and curling his tails around them both. Shiori snorted.

"I got into my teen form before he got forced into his first growth spurt since you left." Shiori said and Kagome smiled.

"Sweetie, no matter how much you grow you're my baby!" Kagome said and raised her hands to his face. "How did you hurt your eye, Shippo?" She asked and he blushed, he lifted a hand so scratch his cheek in embarrassment. Youko was laughing his ass off inside Kurama's head. The dog's guard kitsune was embarrassed and flustered and calling a little miko girl mama! Oh this was rich.

Youko immediately stopped when an elbow hit Kurama in the gut, he looked over to see a slightly angry but still happy Sango. Apparently this really was an important moment to them.

"Well, you see, mama, my mate was my first and I..lost control of my power...she blocked some fox fire and I got hit..." Shippo said and Kagome frowned.

"I'm happy you've gotten stronger, but I'm upset you hurt yourself." She said and smiled. "Ruined the mood though, didn't it."

"N-not really...she kinda liked the show of strength.." Shippo said, blushing more. Kagome laughed. "Eh, you wanna meet her? And the kits?" He asked and she nodded furiously, Shippo looked to Kagura who grinned.

"Now, Lord Shippo's wife may enter, kits wait a moment!" Kagura called out and a woman entered, almost hesitantly. The woman had twin red pigtails, tied up with white lilies, and beautiful blue eyes. She had on a white fur jacket over a dark green knee length dress. Around her waist was a white fur cover, and a white tail was in a low position behind her. She was obviously frightened nearly out of her mind. Around her wrists was more white fur, and she wore white boots with white fur lining. Kagome nearly choked on her tongue before she began laughing, standing up and running over to hug the she wolf.

"Ayame, you cradle robber!" She said causing Ayame to blush more. "Oh, its fine! You're family now, and by the way you've gotten all shy you're obviously worried over my reaction! Well, you may be older than I thought he'd go for, but you two love each other and thats all I need!" Kagome said and Ayame brightened up.

"I thought you'd be mad after all those times I was pissed at you when Kouga came sniffing around!" Ayame said, breathing a sigh of relief. "God, you have _no _idea how scary it is to meet your mate's long lost mother, especially when you've had a track record of verbally abusing said mother!"

Kagome giggled and turned to Shippo. "You charmed Kouga's fiancé away from him! I dunno whether to be proud or if I should scold you!" Kagome said, eyes sparkling with humor.

"I didn't charm her, she charmed me, mama! Just look at her!" He cried out, tails twitching as he let his eyes take in the two most important people in his life. With a flick of his wrist he took out his cell phone and took a picture of the two standing so close together. "Ah, now I have a new background."

"Shippo!" Kagome and Ayame shouted at the same time. Kagome snorted at her son. "Taking mama's picture without permission means mama gets to tell Ayame you're not allowed anything sweet for a week."

Ayame grinned. "Yup no pocky at all for a week!" She said happily causing her mate to groan.

"You two are mean!" Shippo cried out, pouting and causing Kurama to go into a laughing fit. Everyone turned to him in question and he blushed, retreating to let Youko take over.

"So the dog's guard kitsune goes to mush over the cute little miko?" Youko purred and Shippo snorted.

"Stay away from my mother you- you thieving kitsune! She's too pure for the likes of you." He snarled and Youko smirked.

"Ah, but she'd like my touching her, and tasting her might I add." Youko said vainly, causing Kagome to blush brightly at the words.

"HENTAI!" Sango growled, dropping her Hiraikotsu on his head. Youko growled at her menacingly only to feel her sword on his throat, just as one was held to hers. She glared at the hybrid holding his sword to her throat but kept her sword on Youko.

Miroku raised a brow. "I thought that move was designed just for me, Sango my love?"

"Yeah, until I found out some kitsune was after my sister." Sango replied, glaring at Hiei and Kurama both. Hiei almost growled at their idle chatter while he had a damn sword to her thoat. Why didn't either the monk nor the slayer feel threatened? "Do not think for a second I'd allow you to threaten me after saying something like that about Kagome. She would never let anyone but the one she loves touch her like that, and I know for a fact it wont be you." Sango said and smirked. "You don't have the one thing she saw after she returned from the dead, does he Kagome?"

"No, he doesn't." Kagome said and smiled lightly. "I saw red eyes, not the color of blood, but dark just the same. I know a few people that might possibly be the one I'm looking for, lets just say if they're related to Kagura I may kill them first."

Kagura huffed. "Well thats a fine thing to say. My son has red eyes you know, maybe you'll end up family!"

Kagome shook her head with a sigh, walking up to the two sword wielders. "Sango, no killing the fox, Hiei, don't attack my friends, this is your only warning." Kagome said, grasping Hiei's wrist and burning him slightly causing him to drop his weapon. She was glad she had some relative control over her power, but the back lash from burning him also burned her a bit. She didn't like it, but she knew it was because of their auras. She turned back around, pretending as if her hand wasn't burned, and skipped over to Shippo, snatching away his cell phone and putting in her number. "You better call me now that you have my number or I'll have to come and drag you home with me by your tails. You too, Ayame! Now were are my grand babies?"

Kagura chuckled and smiled. "Oldest first, Kagome introducing Kyouya."

Kyouya entered holding his head up proudly. His short bright red hair was obviously from his mother while his green eyes from his father. He wore glasses and had a cold stare, much like Sesshoumaru's only his wasn't so hateful, simply uncaring. He held a thick book in one hand and a laptop in the other. He wore a black turtle neck, and straight black pants with shiny black shoes. He was obviously a clean being, and a perfectionist. Although his eyes were cold he had a small, almost awkward, smile on his face.

"Grandmother." He said, with a light bow before taking her hand and laying a soft kiss on her knuckles.

"Now, now, not so formal. Call me Nana, I may be your grandma but I'm not even as old as you are!" Kagome said with a smile. "Now, I see you'd rather be doing something else, you probably have a business up and going, don't you?" She asked and he nodded.

"Nana, I am head of the financial division of father's lands, and I own various companies across Japan." He said before walking over to a wall, using his illusionary skills to pull up a table and a chair. Sitting down he immediately began working on his laptop, opening up his book every so often to write something or other down. Kagome smiled.

"You've raised a very smart son, you two, he probably keeps you from waisting all your money on pocky, doesn't he?" She said, and Shippo blushed, looking away innocently. Youko guffawed in the background.

Kagura grinned. "Next up is Tamaki!"

With that a nearly blond fox came bouncing into the room, blue eyes shining brightly. Kagome's eyes shined brightly when she realized that the blond came from his late grandfather. He grinned at her in a childish way before his four tails began to lash back and forth, whipping the backs of his legs. He wore similar pants to Kyouya, but he wore a button up blue shirt. She chuckled at the wrinkled clothes and untied tennis shoes.

"Nana!" Tamaki cried, leaping across the room to hug her tightly, picking her up and twirling her in the air. "I've waited so long to meet you! Don't mind Kyouya, he loves you too! We've waited so long, you see, and he's been watching over you for a long time through his companies! He brought us all pictures every once and a while, but only he ever really got to _see _how you were doing!" Tamaki said, stopping to breath a moment before setting her down and holding her hands in his. "You know father told us all about you! You're my favorite person, ever! I didn't know you were so pretty, though! I mean, father always said you were, but he never said _how _pretty! Oh look, your eyes changed from one blue to another! He said your eyes did that too, but it's neat to see! Can you do it anytime? Can you do it again?"

"My eyes change with my moods sweetie, and I'm happy you think I'm pretty! It's not every day a handsome young youkai says so, ya know! Now, calm down a moment OK?" Kagome laughed and grinned up at her grandson before turning her eyes to Shippo and Ayame. "I have no idea how you can have a stoic son and a hyperactive son nearly the same ages! Did you let Sesshoumaru raise one and ship Tamaki off to be raised by Rin?"

Ayame laughed. "No, they just ended up this way! He's only a year younger than Kyouya, I think all of Kyouya's energy goes into his work while Tamaki just has nothing to release it on."

Kagome turned back to her grandson and gave him a kiss on the nose. "We'll talk later, I've got a lot of people to meet and a barrier to power, until I can talk to you, why don't you go distract your great aunt Sango over there? I think she wants to kill that silver kitsune, I don't think it'd be a good idea, really, see how pretty he is? Now hurry before she does!" Kagome said, pointing towards Sango who was grinning madly.

Kagura chuckled. "Knew you'd get a kick out of that one. Next up is Kaoru and Hikaru, the twins."

The two red heads entered side by side, they looked as if one were walking next to a mirror. Even their tails swayed in opposite directions and came together in a matching rhythm. Their hair was golden-red like their father's and they both had green-blue eyes. They had mischievous smiles and three tails each, they both had on white turtlenecks, and strait white pants, while their shoes were just like Kyouya's. They, however, had wrinkles here and there, and each had a mussed look to them. They were little trouble makers, these two.

"Nana, we've been wondering why you were so special." They said together, it was almost creepy the way they did that. One of them wrapped an arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders. "You see, Nana, everyone talks about you, everyone knows you, everyone never forgot you. Why is that Nana?"

Kagome blinked a moment and thought before smiling at them. "I don't really know, sweeties, I do know I never forgot them, and never will. I guess friends don't forget friends, family doesn't forget family."

Kaoru cocked his head and Hikaru snorted. Hikaru was the only one that spoke this time. "Friends are stupid."

Kaoru looked at Hikaru sadly as the other twin left to go lean against the wall. He gave Kagome an apologetic look before going to join his brother.

Shippo looked at the two sadly. "I'm sorry, mama, Hikaru's had troubles making friends, they all can't tell the two apart and it gets to him."

Kagome's eyes softened. "I know the feeling." She heard Hikaru let out a disbelieving grunt and her eyes darkened with sadness. Her grand child didn't want her, but she couldn't blame him.

Kagura cleared her throat. "Well, the last two kits, Mori and Candy-chan!"

In walked the tallest of all of them, though a bit younger, with dark red hair and emotionless blue eyes. He held no frown but no smile either as he turned to look at her. Upon his shoulders was a small girl with hooves for feet, a horn on her head, and white fox ears. She smiled happily, her blond curls bouncing as Mori walked. Mori wore a similar outfit to Tamaki, though his shirt was open and he wore a black tank underneath. Candy wore a powder blue dress that matched the color of her eyes, which were swirling in happiness. They were utter opposites, yet they seemed to complete each other in a way.

"Nana!" Candy called out, waving as she held her pink stuffed bunny to herself tightly.

Mori nodded his head to her ever so slightly and did not say a single word. Kagome smiled at them both.

"I'm so happy you two seem to get along so well, I hope I'll be able to watch you grow up, Candy-chan, it was so sad when I couldn't watch your father grow up. Though, at least I know my beautiful grand babies, ne?" Kagome said and put a hand to Mori's cheek. "You have a wild spirit in your eyes, you hold it back like Sesshoumaru always did. Let it out, sometimes, have fun, you're half kitsune after all." Kagome murmured causing his eyes to widen slightly before he nodded and walked over to stand beside Kaoru, Candy still on his shoulders.

Kagura chuckled. "Well, theres more to meet but, sadly, they are not here due to some issues the twins left on the way."

Kagome threw the twins a reprimanding glare, Shippo and Ayame followed her lead. "What did you two decide to do?"

Kaoru grinned, swaying his tail. "Why nothing, Nana." Hikaru smirked. "Nothing at all, Nana."

Kagome rolled her eyes and glared some more. "Don't make me separate you two." She said and Hikaru paled. Kaoru took on a stoic look, looking over at Hikaru with a worried look. Hikaru seemed to be overly attached to his brother, dependent on him even. She knew what was coming as his face darkened with rage.

"Who the hell are you thinking you can split us up, ningen?!" Hikaru yelled and Kagome shook her head.

"I am your grandmother, I am your father's guardian, your mother's friend. I am the one who fought with your father by my side against an evil to make sure his children, you, would never see such pain." Kagome said, touching Hikaru's cheek lightly he simply bared his fangs at her. "I am your family, and you've possibly done something wrong. You must understand I must know if you did something that could hurt the rest of my friends and family. If you hurt them I have to punish you, sweetie, I do not take kindly to anyone hurting those in my heart. I would do the same if someone hurt you, you know."

Shippo came forward with a frown. "Listen to your Nana. I know you don't like the thought of someone you don't know delving so deeply into our family so fast, but the fact of the matter is she is who I call mother, she gets final say in every thing."

"Shippo, I will not force myself into their life if they do not want me." Kagome said sadly, pulling her hand away from Hikaru. "It would be unfair to them if you try to force this, it doesn't mean I'll leave you again by any means, you're stuck with me until the day I die... again." She laughed at her little joke but only got frowns from her son, she still smiled and continued. "However, my grand children can accept me or not it's their choice." The twins felt eyes from all around the room boring into them, angry and curious. Hikaru looked up to meet the worried eyes of Tamaki, and the slightly angry eyes of Kyouya. He sighed.

"We just did some simple illusionary traps, they'll just find themselves lost here and there until midnight." He said and Kagome smiled at him. "It's not like we'd really hurt them.."

"That's fine, then, but who is all coming, Shippo?" She asked, turning to her son who grinned.

"You don't get to know until they get here, many things have changed and so you get to learn as they're introduced to you all over again." Shippo said before turning a glare to his twin boys. "Do not think you will get away with trying to drive your Nana away, Hikaru."

"Shippo don't you dare punish them." Kagome hissed aggressively causing the twin's eyes to widen.

"But they--"

"Are trying to protect the way their family life has always been. They do not want the change, do not understand why you wish me to be around when I never was before. I would be angry as hell if my father suddenly appeared without so much as a word from him, and I actually knew him when I was young. They do not know me, they do not trust me." Kagome said before pulling Shippo into a hug. "Give them a chance to learn to let me in before doing something like that on my behalf."

Shippo sighed and hugged her tightly, taking in her scent. "You know, mama, I'm not ever letting you get away again. I missed you too much."

"I know sweetie, it's been torture and it's only been a couple years for me, I can't imagine what you went through, you were only a little boy..." Kagome said, just before Yusuke spoke up.

"OK, I'm still confused. How the hell do you know everyone, and how the hell could you be an adult youkai's mother? He's like six hundred years old or something! And then you know some other lords in Makai, but didn't know about the fuckin' barrier, _and _you're ningen!" Yusuke suddenly exploded, he had been waiting patiently for an explanation and Kagome smiled.

"Oi, it ain't none of you're damned--" InuYasha started but Kagome let out a very, _very _convincing growl. His ears went flat against his head in fear as he looked at her. Shiori took this time to step in.

"Oh dear, Kagome-sama have you forgotten what you were called here for? We should get moving if we want to get this done before sun down, preparations must be made. You've got to meditate and pull out any and all power you can, I've got to set up the machinery, Koenma has to sign the necessary paper work, good lord there's so much to do!" Shiori exclaimed dramatically, her wings taking a good flap as she caught the look of thanks from InuYasha. "Come, come! Oh we haven't got all day, Kagome-sama, well, technically we do, but it takes all day!"

"Hey! You aren't taking sis anywhere without me!" Souta cried out as Shiori grabbed Kagome's hand and began walking towards the door the kitsune-ookami family came through.

"Follow if you want. Koenma-sama, I'm sure Kagome-sama will explain exactly how she has her contacts in Makai and such at a later date, if you want to question her it can be after the barrier is up and going!" Shiori said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Ja ne!"

Kagome grinned as almost everyone followed. Enma stayed in his office with Kagura, Koenma left to god knows where, probably to do that paper work. She noticed the two youkai from Koenma's team followed along, Yusuke shortly after, however Kuwabara seemed to be more interested in trying to flirt with Sango—unsuccessfully of course.

"You sure are pretty, Miss Sango." Kuwabara said and Sango rolled her eyes.

"I suppose."

"Would you--" Kuwabara started, but Sango of course cut him off.

"I will not date you, I will not bare your child, I will not marry you, I will not 'go out' sometime, and I will not be your girlfriend." Sango said causing Kuwabara to falter, falling behind a bit.

"How did she--?" Kuwabara asked out loud, only to have Miroku chuckle.

"I ask her such questions almost daily, my friend, she simply does not want such relationships with anyone it seems." Miroku supplied, his eyes lingering on her supple round bottom. "Ah, but she would make a fine wife, a fine wife indeed." He murmured, his hand twitching. Sango turned her eyes to him with a glare and he looked at her with innocent indigo eyes.

"What's gotten you so upset, dearest Sango?" He asked and she snorted.

"The fact that I have a pervert behind me. Get to the front of the line, Miroku." Sango almost hissed at him and he nodded.

"Oh how could you think such horrible thoughts of me, my love? I will, however, do as you ask if would only do me one small favor?" Miroku said and Sango narrowed her eyes.

"I won't bare your child, hentai, nor do anything of the nature with you!" She said and InuYasha chuckled.

"Sorry, monk, you lost your chances when you kept flirtin' around with the village girls." The hanyou said and Kuwabara gasped.

"You were cheating on her?! You're a-a two timing bastard!" Kuwabara exclaimed and Kurama took this moment to speak up.

"What of you, Kuwabara? I thought you loved Yukina?"

"Ah, my darling Yukina! Hair as blue as the sky, eyes pink as bubble gum!" Kuwabara began, causing Hiei to growl. "You're just jealous, shrimp."

Yusuke and Kurama hid snickers behind their hands as Hiei growled louder. "Why would I be jealous of a monkey?"

"Wha--? I was talkin' bout me!" Kuwabara said, confused and Hiei smirked.

"So was I." Hiei said and passed up the now angry oaf.

"Oh yeah?! Wanna fight you damn chibi??!"

"You aren't worth my time, fool." Hiei said, walking away without even looking back. Kagome grinned, glancing back at the group before turning to Shiori.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer I do not own InuYasha or YuYu Hakusho or any of it's characters. Or Ouran characters for that matter. This is for the entire story!

/_Shuuichi_/

/**Youko**/

\_Hiei_\

(_Kurounue_)

((_Shiori_))

**Chapter 4: If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change. **

"Are they always like this?" She asked and Shiori shrugged.

"I mostly only hear rumors of them, from the what rumor says Hiei wants to kill Kuwabara and Yusuke. Kuwabara gets into fist fights with Yusuke but never chances it too much with Hiei because, well, Hiei would kill him Yusuke would just pound him a bit. Kurama is the over all peace maker of the group, though he's the most ruthless of them all when it comes to fighting..." Shiori said, tapping a finger to her lip. "I dunno how much truth there is to those rumors, I've even heard something about Hiei and Kurama having some kind of affair..."

Kurama and Hiei both growled loudly. "I would _not _touch that fox!"

"Sorry to disappoint, girls, but only Youko swings that both ways, I prefer woman." Kurama said, but Youko's golden eyes and silver hair suddenly appeared. "Aw, Hiei, I'm hurt!" Youko whined only to be forced back down and locked behind a door.

Sango, Shiori, and Kagome looked at each other with matching playfulness in their eyes. Kagome decided she'd go first.

"Aw but I thought you _liked _us, Youko!" Kagome said, dramatically sighing loudly. "And here I had my hopes up, but it looks like you've fallen for Hiei!"

Sango gasped and touched Kagome's arm. "Kagome you poor dear! But then again you always did have a thing for the ears!"

InuYasha growled from the end of the line but was ignored when Shiori spoke up. "Now Sango, don't pretend you didn't have your own hopes crushed! Such a shame two cute men out of our grasps! I wonder what they see in each other?"

Hiei let out a snarl. "I. Do. Not. Like. Males."

Kurama chuckled, golden eyes shining brightly while his silver hair was tossed elegantly over his shoulder in a distinctly vain fashion. He licked his lips and grinned over to the girls. "I'm sorry, ladies, would you like a good chase? I suppose I can free myself from my ties to make you all feel better." He said only causing them to wave him off dismissively and Shippo's loud snarl.

"Go any where near my mother, Youko, and I will castrate you." He said and Kagome blinked.

"Calm down, Shippo, we're only playing, besides I don't have time for any guys in my life." She said and smiled. "Except family, of course."

Sango snorted. "You have plenty of time, you just don't _want _a boyfriend. I remember back when you were _looking _for love."

Shiori nodded. "You did seem so head over heels back then."

Kagome cocked her head, giving the girls a confused look but Hiei knew better, she had told him after all. She never forgot.

Sango quickly leaned over, whispering in Shiori's ear. Shiori's eyes widened and she gasped before turning her eyes forward. InuYasha's sadness could be felt by all, it was pouring off him in waves.

"I don't know what you two are talking about, but I was just a teen when everything started, need I remind you? The hormone raging is over and now I simply don't have time. Besides, I've got the shrine to take over, now it looks like I'll probably be doing odd jobs for the Reikai, I've got a family to catch up with. No time for men at all." Kagome said, hands on her hips as they entered a large lab like room. Sango and Shiori rolled their eyes.

"Ah, Kagome, I live in the same house, it would be no problem for me to visit you--" Miroku was silenced by Sango's hand slapping him, followed shortly by Kagome's.

"HENTAI!" Both of the girls shouted. Shippo blinked and looked up at Kagome.

"He still hasn't learned at all." Shippo said and Kagome nodded before grinning.

"He does get a lot of girls to come to the shrine, though, we've got women donating to us left and right now! I don't think he even really takes advantage of it because he shares a room with Sango, and she won't be giving him any nookie anytime soon." Kagome said and Sango scowled.

"You spend too much time with that lecher." Sango said and Kagome grinned.

"At least I'm not groping men!" Kagome said and Sango blushed heavily.

"That was a complete and utter accident! He bumped into me and we fell awkwardly!" Sango said, hands coming up to her red face. Shiori couldn't help it.

"Sure, Sango. We believe you." Shiori purred causing those with animalistic ears to look at her with surprise. That purring voice was usually used amongst canines during mating season. InuYasha blushed heavily at the thought. Kagome saw this and grinned.

"What's wrong, Inu-kun? Got a crush?" She asked and InuYasha snarled at her.

"Bitch!" He hissed and Kagome blew him a kiss.

"Sorry Inu-kun I'm not the same species as you!" She said and he began cursing at her before Souta, in an attempt to distract everyone, tripped Yusuke.

"Whoops, my bad dude." He said and the detective growled at the kid.

"You little punk!" He snarled just as Souta ran over to Kagome and Sango, who glared at the man with cold eyes. Shippo, however, was the first to pounce on him, holding the detective to the wall by his neck.

"You even try touching my Uncle and I will kill you." He snarled, his children and wife echoed the snarl with their own growls.

"Nana, are you OK? Did he try to hurt you? Is your brother alright?" Tamaki started babbling, and Kagome nodded.

"We're fine, Shippo you put that boy down this very second, and Souta you tell him you're sorry! I know you did it on purpose!" Kagome said and Souta grinned.

"Aw, but sis, I thought you'd want to change the subject away from your nonexistent love life! I guess I was wrong." Souta said before looking at Yusuke. "Sorry dude!"

Shippo let Yusuke down but continued to scowl at him. It didn't matter if Souta was at fault or not, the fact of the matter is Yusuke was going to try to harm him. Sango, he knew, agreed but Kagome always had the final say. Kagome was alpha.

"It is only because of mama that I let this go, boy." Shippo said and Kurama spoke up.

"You see her as alpha, even if she is female." The red head stated, his dark green eyes a bit confused by why he would look to a female as an alpha, that was very rare.

"Kagome has always been alpha, even if she would sometimes listen to InuYasha, she was in control. She is our alpha until she decides otherwise." Shippo said and turned his glare on Kurama. "I will not allow Youko to touch my alpha, I know of his intentions and his sexual habits. He disgusts me, taking woman after woman with no thought of how a one night stand can emotionally harm them."

Kagome sighed and smacked Shippo on the back of the head.

"Ow, mama what was that for?" Shippo asked and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I can defend myself against men just fine, Shippo. You know kitsune charm doesn't work on me." She said and tossed her hair. "Besides, if I end up liking someone I won't be letting you threaten them. For gods sake, if you want to threaten men who may end up with me find the red eyed men, not just flirts. Remember, I saw red eyes when I woke. That reminds me, what did everyone else see?" Kagome asked and Shippo grinned.

"I saw white flowers. I almost thought it was Kanna." Shippo said and his tails wagged happily.

Sango frowned. "I saw a youki mist." She said and Kagome blinked. That's not much to go on. "It wasn't normal but I'll tell you more about it in private."

Ayame giggled. "I saw red fur, it wasn't until after Shippo got his growth spurt that I realized it was him."

Shippo chuckled. "She was hitting on me while I looked like a preteen!"

Kagome grinned. "Cradle robber!"

"Yeah, yeah, I get that enough from the rest of the family." Ayame said and looked to InuYasha.

"What did you see, mutt?" She asked and InuYasha crossed his arms.

"Long fangs, they looked like it was in the middle of a battle because the fangs were almost beast like." InuYasha said and Kagome cocked her head.

"I saw what I thought was a fog, it was souls, many souls." Miroku said and everyone looked at him in shock. He shrugged.

"I wonder what everyone else saw..." Kagome murmured and Shiori smiled.

"Sesshoumaru-sama saw glass. Rin saw the wind. Kagura saw red. Kanna saw a glowing green mist. Kouga didn't see anything, he simply heard singing. It was an original song, he never heard it before." Shiori supplied and Kagome tapped her chin.

"Did anyone else see anything?" Kagome asked and Shiori nodded.

"Ginta saw the ocean. Hakakku saw black claws. Kirara apparently saw something, because she's recently had a litter of fire and shadow kittens. We never do see her mate. Has anyone yet?" Shiori asked and Shippo nodded slowly.

"He's...not bestial like Kirara...I think Kirara gained another form just to be with him. He's a shadow panther...I don't know his name but I saw him napping with Kirara and the kittens." Shippo said hesitantly, Sango smiled.

"Kirara does have a humanoid form, but she can only hold it for roughly an hour. It takes so much energy she tends to pass out and revert back into her kitten form after that." Sango said and Shippo grinned.

"So you're telling me she did that just to do the deed with this guy?" Shippo asked and Sango blushed and shrugged. "Oh yeah, forgot you three girls still need to get laid." Shippo said, getting an elbow to his ribs by Ayame. "What?! It's true!"

Kagome snorted. "I think I'll just forget about finding my man and just become the crazy cat lady that lives in the shrine."

"Not like you were looking for him in the first place." Sango said and Kagome grinned.

"I'd rather him come to me, really. I mean, what's the fun for him if I go throwing myself at him? Half the fun is the chase, you know, and I happen to be very good at running away." Kagome said and half of them laughed.

InuYasha let out a barking laugh before adding his two cents. "Kagome, you're _always _the prey! I mean, I tried to kill you. Miroku kidnapped you. Shippo stole from you. Sango attacked us all, well mostly me but still. Naraku attacked you like a mad man. You got kidnapped how many times? Once by Enma! And thats only because he wanted to take off with you and have some strong kids."

Kagome began counting on her fingers, after she got past fifteen she gave up. "Well I got kidnapped at the very least fifteen times..." Kagome said, scratching her head. "Should I count Kouga and Miroku? I mean they ended up allies..."

"It doesn't matter either way, you still can't even remember them all!" Sango said and Miroku chuckled.

"I do too remember them all, I just can't remember them in order and if I don't I'll end up counting some more than once or something!" Kagome whined and Shiori gasped.

"Here we are prattling away while we should be working! Kagome, into that room over there, I'll be locking you in. You need to meditate and bring out all the power you can possibly pull. We'll take a break for lunch and dinner. What's going to happen is the walls will absorb the energy you give off, and you should feel drowsy by the time dinner comes around, unless you have an ungodly amount of power, but anyway in you go!" Shiori said, shoving the woman into the white padded room. Kagome groaned, she felt like she was in the crazy house.

As all this was going on InuYasha watched as Yusuke and Kuwabara suddenly broke out in a brawl. Something about someone calling the other a moron or something. He shrugged and looked around the clean room. Shippo had made himself comfortable at a desk watching a streaming video focusing on Kagome. Ayame was sitting on said desk, the kids in various positions around them.

Well at least the runt had a good family even if the woman was nearly three hundred years older than him. He looked over to Kurama and Miroku who had started a light discussion on how the machinery worked, and why the holy power was needed for the barrier. Miroku offered his own powers and Shiori decided to give it a bit of thought, as well as Souta's own powers. It would be better on Kagome's end at the very least.

Turning his gaze to the fire youkai, he noticed he was leaning against a far wall, though his eyes were trained on the screen that showed Kagome. His head was lowered and he had a scowl on, but he was watching her none the less. InuYasha knew that look, that confused look. He himself had struggled over his own feelings towards both Kikyo and Kagome. It was _that _kind of look. He knew, however, it would be a good long while before the hybrid tried anything at all.

It took him a year to warm up to the girl, and the short man seemed more stubborn than he ever was.

His eyes turned and focused on Shiori who was flitting about watching for any irregularities in the gages, monitoring a screen with wiggly lines that changed every once and a while, and writing things down on a clip board she was holding. Her wings were folded tightly to her back, tense with the stress of the situation, and those stray strands of hairs finally came loose from the pony tail, drifting down and over her shoulders attractively.

Her ears twitched as a small sound came from one of the screens and she looked up with curious eyes at it before scribbling something down again. Her lips pressed into a thin line and her eyes darkened as she worked through some calculations on the paper. Her hand moved quickly, never stopping as she tried hard to figure out the issue before she suddenly smiled, eyes sparkling. She raced across the room and changed up some dials before looking towards the screen that had made the noise earlier. The line on the screen evened out and she nodded, praising herself in her head.

InuYasha blinked, suddenly wondering how long he had been staring at the woman. He checked to see if anyone had noticed, and was happy to see no one had. Letting out a silent sigh of relief he looked to the screen that showed Kagome. She was currently sitting cross legged and was chanting lightly to herself. He chuckled when he realized she was saying something along the lines of 'stupid power come out', at one point. He wasn't surprised when he heard the amused snort of the hybrid across the room.

He _did _have red eyes. InuYasha smiled lightly. Kagome could probably move on now, not that she remembered to really move on, but still she could be happy again. That is, if this was her guy. If not, InuYasha would continue to watch and wait for her. No matter how long it took or how hard he had to look, he'd find this love for her. How could he move on and leave her behind?

Besides, it's not like he had much to go on. He would need to go into battles again to find his future love, so why not watch out for hers in the mean time, right?

Kurama allowed his eyes to stray as he kept up his conversation with the monk easily. Youko was actively seeking out Sango with his eyes, watching as she sat in a rolling chair near InuYasha. In between her legs was her mighty Hiraikotsu, propped up as she used her sash to clean it. He saw how abused it looked, the many dents and scratches along the bone weapon was astonishing. What exactly have these people been through?

"Beautiful, isn't she?" He heard Miroku ask, causing him to shift uneasily.

"My other half seems to think enough of her to take over my eye sight for the moment." Kurama said, a bit annoyed that Youko wouldn't allow him to take his eyes off the girl. "You look like you have all been through a great deal."

"Yes, more than you can imagine." Miroku said, looking down at his gloved hand. It wasn't like he needed the damn thing anymore, it was just habit. He had, at least, stopped wearing the beads. "There was a point in time Sango had agreed to marry me, I knew it would not last. We both knew, I think."

Kurama's eyes turned to him. "Oh?" Miroku noticed the gold flash in his eyes. The kitsune was very interested.

"We were still in the middle of our quest, and agreed to marry after we took down a great evil. A bit before that battle Sango broke things off, I had a habit of flirting that she, in the end, could not accept. Not that I blame her, of course, I was fiercely protective of her as well. I think, mostly, we had come to lean on each other because of the evil and not because of love. This is why I let her be." Miroku said and Kurama nodded.

Miroku's eyes landed on InuYasha, who was boldly staring at Shiori. He blinked and grinned, causing Kurama to look as well. Surprise was the first expression on his face before understanding. He smiled lightly and turned back to Miroku.

"I wonder how long it will take?" Miroku asked and Kurama chuckled, nodding his head towards Hiei who was staring at Kagome's form on the screen, trying to be discrete about it. Miroku, much like InuYasha, knew that look well.

"My friend, I believe our groups will be seeing a lot more of each other in the future." Miroku said and grinned and Kurama nodded.

"Now, I think I may know a few girls you may be linked to. Here in the Reikai, the ferry girls deliver the souls of the dead to their place of rest. Then there are the delivery girls who deliver souls to be resurrected in children." Kurama said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I'd say your best bet would be to befriend Koenma and Botan. Botan can introduce you to the girls, Koenma can make sure you are allowed to see them."

"Ah, now that's interesting. Tell me, can you give off a youki mist?" Miroku asked and Kurama pursed his lips together.

"Of...sorts. It takes a joined effort of myself and Youko, while switching to Youko's form. It is more of a mix of youki and spiritual auras, clashing and creating a visible mist. It's useful if Youko wants to attack in stealth, his coloring blends perfectly in the fog." Kurama explained and Miroku nodded.

"I can only imagine that our two teams are simply being bound together. It's almost too obvious with how people are already pairing up emotionally. I'll have you know Sango won't show her interest at all at first. In fact the only way I figured she cared during our short time together was the fact she was extremely jealous. Sometimes we would have our moments, she blushes prettily at even the smallest flattery. She was raised to be a warrior, after all, and not a woman." Miroku offered with a small smile. "However, the more bold you get the more she pushes away."

"I wonder how this will all turn out if we aren't all connected? It could be a huge coincidence, it needs some more looking in to." Kurama said and Miroku nodded.

"Only time will tell, my friend."

They turned when they heard a snort come from the hybrid against the wall, it was the only sound he'd made in a while. Following their eyes to the screen he was looking at they watched, wondering what had caused his eyes to light up with amusement.

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Kagome was getting frustrated. She was getting _really _annoyed at her powers, they just didn't want to come out. Her brow furrowed in concentration and she tried opening the door way to her powers again. It seemed locked. Why?

"Stupid, stupid powers, come out already..." She murmured to herself before wondering if there was another way into that mental room of hers. She circled the room, finding another door she tugged. It opened slowly, as if the door was too heavy for her to handle, but she pushed.

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Alarms started going off everywhere and Shiori panicked. Desperately she started turning dials and flipping switches, mentally reaching out for Kuronue. He was reluctant to come because of Kurama, but there was no time for hesitations. Kurama was very surprised when the bat came flying into the room, his black hat tumbling off his head as he helped Shiori frantically try to get things under control.

Soon some ogres entered, racing about and trying to figure out the problem. Shiori looked at the power stats coming off Kagome and immediately realized what it was. She ran to the door and turned a dial next to it, pulling the room absorption powers down to the bare minimum. Everything suddenly stopped and there was a shared wave of relief that flowed over the room.

"Good god... that girl has more power than I've ever seen in a living being..." Shiori muttered and Kuronue fell into a seat, running his hands through his hair.

"Shit...guess the cats outta the bag now..." Kuronue said, peeking up at Kurama who was struggling to keep Youko locked up. "Eh heh heh...Hi..Youko..." Kuronue said with an awkward wave and Shiori inched away from the older bat. "Shiori don't leave your poor uncle to be attacked by an angry kitsune!" Kuronue cried out just as Youko broke free and charged at him.

Kuronue jumped out of the way and flew up to the ceiling. "Now, Youko, calm down, there are reasons I couldn't tell you I was alive..."

"Like _what _you-you fruit bat!?" Youko snarled, his tails frizzing in anger. "I _died _because I was mourning your ass!"

"Don't you blame me, Youko! I was still dead when that happened, I was only resurrected to help Shiori with her work, you weren't ever suppose to see me again. Koenma said so!" Kuronue cried, dodging some blue fox fire that was suddenly thrown at him.

"I'll kill that little bastard after I kill you! You son of a bitch, have you any idea what you put me through?!" Youko growled and just as he moved in to strike the other male his breath was taken away by a strong kick to the ribs. He snarled and looked at the attacker only to find it was Sango, and there she stood with her eyes ablaze in anger and her fists clenched in rage.

"Obviously you're too stubborn to understand exactly what your friend is saying, you over emotional kitsune!" Sango shouted and Youko's ears drooped a bit.

"But I really missed him!" He whined and Sango grabbed an ear and tugged.

"And so you try to _kill _him when he comes back into your life?!" Sango shouted and Miroku nodded.

"I agree with Lady Sango on this, Youko-sama...That wasn't a well way to handle things at all. Although, Sango dear, I don't think you should be trying to kill him himself." Miroku said and Hiei smirked.

"Hn. I vote kill the fox and the bat." Hiei said and Youko gave him a glare before turning his eyes back to Sango.

"Can I hurt him? Just a bit?" Youko asked, and Yusuke nearly fell over.

"Am I imagining things or is Youko asking her permission to maim someone?!" Yusuke cried out and Kuwabara just stared wide eyed, nodding his head. InuYasha walked over to Shiori, crossing his arms.

"Explain." He said simply and she gave a cute fanged grin.

"That's their story, Inu-kun, Kuronue's simply my uncle who works with me." Shiori said and he scowled at her.

Sango sighed, tugging on Youko's ear some more as Kuronue landed behind her, using her as a shield. "Dearest slayer, I love you at the moment!" Kuronue cried out behind her and she kicked him without even looking. He grunted, catching himself before he toppled onto the family of kitsunes.

"You cannot hurt him, maim him, kill him, bruise him, or anything of the sort!" Sango snapped at him, narrowing her eyes. "Take the fact that he's back as the gift it is! Stupid, stupid kitsune, you have no clue how much some people would kill to be in your shoes!" She said, letting him go before storming out of the room.

Kagome, having heard all the ruckus, was now banging on the door to be let out. "Let me go to her, Shiori! Let me go!" She yelled, her eyes almost a cerulean in concern for her friend. She was almost panicking trying to get to Sango, causing a few questioning looks her way. She even seemed to be clawing at the glass door, trying frantically to get to Sango.

Shiori shook her head. "Kagome, the barrier is-"

"She needs me right now! Nothing is more important than Sango, right now! Nothing! Do you hear me!?" Kagome screamed, her blue eyes turning silver, causing even her kitsune son to bristle lightly in fear. She was angry, and in pain for her friend, nothing would keep her from Sango right now.

Shiori nodded and opened the door, and before anyone could say a word Kagome was after Sango. Youko and the rest of the spirit detectives looked on in confusion. Miroku and InuYasha shared a look, InuYasha sighed.

"You tell'em, monk." InuYasha said and Miroku nodded.

Miroku didn't really want to tell her story for her, but it was best to explain what had just occurred. It wouldn't do for them to accuse Sango of being wrong should they take a different point of view, rubbing salt in the wounds she carried. "Your actions today reopened old wounds for Sango, my friend. Let's start with how we met Sango. Sango was sent by our enemy to kill us, you see, more specifically to kill InuYasha. Our enemy, Naraku, had lured her and her family from her village in disguise. He gained control over her brother, having him slay his entire family, Sango lived by sheer luck. He then proceeded to kill the rest of the village with ease."

Miroku paused for a moment, watching as faces changed from confusion, to sadness, pity, horror, and rage. "Sango was buried alive, and crawled out of her own grave. Naraku found her and told her that InuYasha had been the one to kill her family, she believed him. Half dead, she came after him. When we finally told her the truth, and got her to believe it, Kagome forced her to stay with us so she could heal."

Again he paused, his eyes closing as he relived some of the memories. "It wasn't until later we found Naraku still controlled her brother through an object implanted in his back to keep him alive. He would always send the boy after her, for almost two years she tried talking sense into the boy. She told us she could face him, but every time she came back wounded physically and emotionally. The last time, Naraku purposefully moved Kohaku in a way so that he was impaled by her own sword, forcing the shard from his back. She...has not recovered."

Youko was confused now. He didn't know what to do. He just hurt her, and he actually _cared _that he did. It wasn't like other women. He could bed them and leave. If he did that to her it'd bring another sense of loss to her, probably causing a deeper depression than the one she might already be in. She hid it well enough, joking with the girls and taunting others.

Miroku saw the look of helplessness on Youko's face, as did everyone else shocking most of them. "It would be best to leave her alone, at this moment, Kagome knows how to handle Sango's episodes. They may ask for the nearest bathroom to bathe, Shiori-sama, I suggest you lead them there. Youko, I would let your other half out. In her current condition she could become angered by your presence at all."

Youko nodded slowly and Shuuichi was literally shoved out, Youko choosing hiding in the deepest darkest corners of their mind. After a moment of fighting against gravity to stay upright, Shuuichi put a hand on his hip and scratched his head. "Fuck."

"What's wrong?" Miroku asked and Shuuichi looked at him with deep dark forest green eyes.

"It would seem, Miroku-san, Youko has pulled every ounce of himself into hiding for Sango's sake. We...could have a problem." He narrowed his eyes, glaring at a wall. "He isn't responding to my calls..."

"Wait, wait!" Kuronue said, grabbing Shuuichi by his shirt collar. "Are you telling me that Youko is _hiding _for the sake of a _woman?!" _

Shuuichi nodded and pulled the other man's hands off his clothes. "He genuinely became attached to the girl almost immediately, Kuronue-san. He has yet to convince myself, I would rather get to know her before diving into something like he did. Now he's ashamed and I dare say scared."

"Holy shit." Kuronue said, flopping down into a chair. He ran a hand through his hair and watched as Shuuichi's arms crossed, his right hand clenching and releasing the fabric of his shirt repeatedly. He was almost amused that the boy had gained Youko's nervous habit.

"Hiei, you think if worst comes to worst you can force Youko out?" Yusuke asked and Hiei nodded, staring at the doorway. InuYasha sighed, leaning on the wall beside Shiori.

Shiori was slightly fidgeting, one of her wings folded around her so she could toy with it as she sunk down to the ground in a child like manner. "Koenma-sama's going to be so mad when he gets news of this..."

Kuronue snorted. "Koenma is the least of our worries, or have you forgotten you just let our power source go to her friend?"

Souta and Miroku stepped forward at the same time. "One of us can fill in for a bit." Souta said and Shiori nodded, standing.

"Souta, since you are her brother you may have more power to give, step into the chamber and start meditating." Shiori said and he nodded, walking into the room and out of sight.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer I do not own InuYasha or YuYu Hakusho or any of it's characters. Or Ouran characters for that matter. This is for the entire story!

/_Shuuichi_/

/**Youko**/

\_Hiei_\

(_Kurounue_)

((_Shiori_))

**Chapter 5: A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words **

Sango didn't know what she was doing when she left the room, she realized that after running a few feet away from the door, turning in time to see Kagome run out. Tears welled up in her eyes as she simply fell into Kagome's waiting arms, leaning against the smaller girl as they sunk to the ground. Kagome rocked her slowly, rubbing her back comfortingly. Ogres that usually roamed the halls scattered upon feeling the waves of anger from both women, not wanting to be anywhere near a miko-taijya combo. The empty hall's beautiful clean white walls and marble floors seemed to make the two stand out even more to the random ogre that hadn't been able to avoid going into the hall to get to another room, making them seem all the more dangerous.

The loving couple sat there for a long while, holding each other like they did.

Now, I'd like to tell you right now, there are many views on love, it differs from person to person. Why? Because every person you talk to you love in some way shape or form. Sango and Kagome shared a love that was on a different level than most, not in a lover way, but almost as if they were twins. Thus the term soul sister. With this in mind, Kagome and Sango, you must understand, have a deep emotional connection.

This is something that binds them together as family, that makes Kagome Sango's love in life, at least she has the highest level of love Sango has for anyone else as of yet. In return, Kagome also loves Sango. Sometimes it would seem almost as if they had a romantic relationship with this love they held for each other, but this is not the case, in fact in a way it was a deeper form of love than that.

And because of this love they hold for each other, through bathing and spending time together, they communicate without words, without sound. They simply find comfort together, in their own world that no one else can enter. Even if they were to find themselves in love with men, they would always, always, find a way to come together in this world just for the two of them.

And so, true to her nature, after Sango's crying died down, Kagome left her to ask for the nearest bathroom. And, leaving Kuronue behind to deal with the technology, Shiori did as Miroku had said she should, and personally escorted the two girls to the bathroom. It was easy enough to see, in the silence that had been held during her presence, the two wanted to be left alone. And, so, Shiori left them to themselves to bathe in the bathroom.

If Sango weren't so upset she would have noticed the beauty of the room, the seashell shaped tub and sinks. The black marble counter tops on clean white counters. Even the unique blue and beige stones that made a path to the underground tub went unnoticed. She was in her comfort zone, having Kagome bathe her and wash her hair, then bathing and washing Kagome in return.

Funny how ningen could be so like monkeys sometimes.

Later that day a smile would grace Sango's features and she would give a small giggle that sounded much like wind chimes on a spring morning. It would cause many by standers to look her way in confusion but she would never, ever had said what had come to her mind. InuYasha would have his claws to her throat should she had said it, but it was none the less true. Better to be a monkey than a dog. Or fox, she decided to add on out of spite towards the kitsune, who had yet to appear again, hours later.

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Time didn't pass nearly fast enough for Kagome, she decided. Her stomach was rumbling as she sat there in the chamber once more letting her powers out for the barrier. They were already a couple hours behind schedule, so she was warned that their lunch would be extremely light. She wasn't happy about that, at the moment, not at all. She was yelled to a few times over the last couple minutes to crank down the power, and she did, but it wasn't helping that she was starving! She sighed and mentally scolded herself, pulling back her anger and looking towards the glass door.

She wasn't surprised to see Hiei there, watching her with amusement gleaming in his eyes, all three of them. Yes, three. The Jagan was glowing beneath the headband he wore, it's purple aura could easily be mistaken for an evil one, but that was not the case. The Jagan was a separate being entirely from Hiei, an implant that was painful to get, she had been told by Sango before.

Ugh and now there he was smirking. Oh, he knew she was a bit peeved by the way his smirk grew at her angry glare. Bastard.

Bastard? Since when did she start mentally abusing anyone, she wondered. Closing her eyes again she took a moment to close the door to her powers than take a breather. Stretching slightly she opened her eyes to see those crimson eyes once more. Rolling hers she went back to open up her powers again...only to find she couldn't. She looked at the 'room' that contained her powers and scowled. It wasn't the same as before.

A black net of power was acting as a barrier against her trying to keep her from her powers. Slowly she walked around it, finding an opening she stepped inside and opened the door with a grunt of pain as her hand touched the unfinished net. Glaring at it she decided to ask someone about this later, it was odd that something suddenly was trying to keep her from her powers. Looking around she began to feel as if she were being watched. She couldn't see anyone.

Opening her eyes she looked at the glass door. There he was just smirking at her. Jerk.

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Shiori sighed, watching as Hiei pissed off Kagome. He was enjoying the frenzy behind the scenes as much as he did pissing off the poor girl. Every time her anger spiked, her power did too, setting off alarms and causing constant chaos as Kuronue, herself, and a team of ogres would run around to adjust the machines to her power levels, or, if need be, panic and call for her to calm down. She groaned as another spike set the alarms off and she glared at the hybrid who's smirk simply got wider.

She and Kuronue both were irritably flexing their wings now, hers a bit smaller than his being a hanyou, but his had a thinner membrane than hers being male. The ogres, two purples and a yellow, were frantically doing calculations, twisting dials, pressing buttons, and scribbling notes. She, herself, was writing notes almost in the middle of her calculating, stopping only to adjust this or that. Kuronue had a screw driver in hand as he manually adjusted one of the machines to take what would be equivalent to Enma's power. That's the only thing they could think of to stop the chaos.

Shiori growled loudly, glaring at the hybrid once again as the power spiked to another level. "Kurama, get that little bastard out of here before I decide to throw him in the room with her! Lets see how he likes pissing her off then!" Shiori snarled and Kurama nodded.

"Hiei, that's quite enough, come now we should go get lunch." Shuuichi said, and Hiei frowned, turning away from his amusing game of toy with the miko bitch.

\And if I do not wish to?\ Hiei asked, a brow disappearing under the white of his headband.

/I would really like for you to bring back Youko, if you do not mind./ Shuuichi said just as Sango walked up to him. Shuuichi looked down at her with a tint of sadness touching his eyes.

"Is there something I can do for you, Miss Sango?" He asked and Sango sighed.

"A word, with Youko, if you wouldn't mind." Sango said and Shuuichi winced.

"I do not think that is possible at the moment, he's...for the lack of a better term, hiding from me."

"How can he hide from you in your own body?" Sango asked, confused.

"Youko's a bit ashamed of his behavior, he rarely feels such shame and as a result he's placed barriers around his own soul while he tries to recover. Hiei should be able to retrieve him with the Jagan eye, but I, myself, cannot breech the barriers." Shuuichi said and Sango smiled.

"I see! I actually know of an easier way, if you would allow it?" Sango's smile was a bit scary for some reason, he didn't know if he should, but he agreed none the less.

"What is th-" He was interrupted by a swift and hard kick to the gut, immediately Youko came from his 'hiding' to see what was going on. Shuuichi in pain meant trouble, and he'd be damned if his host body was hurt.

"Now, I want to talk to Youko." Sango said and started walking away. Kurama groaned and shoved Youko out, telling him to follow her.

//**That was a cheap trick.**// Youko whined to Shuuichi as he followed behind her carefully into the hallway.

/Yes, but it worked. Now, she wanted to talk to you so listen./ Shuuichi said and Youko's ears perked at the slayer who had suddenly stopped and turned around. Her cheeks were flushed as she crossed her arms and looked him dead in the eye.

"I won't repeat myself, and I can't say I regret my actions entirely, but I am sorry how I handled the situation so violently." Sango said and Youko's ears folded back nearly flat against his head.

"I'm glad you stopped me, I was the cause of his death once I wouldn't have liked to be again. In fact, I would have most likely left this host and let the ferry girls take me away should I have seriously killed him. I doubt I would have gone past breaking a few bones, however. He was, and still is, pack. I raised him from a child and he ended up becoming my best friend, though I have to say I will probably lash out at that child prince for not informing me of his return." Youko growled out the last part, crossing his own arms and allowing his tail to lash a bit violently.

"I suppose someone explained my actions?" Sango asked hesitantly and Youko winced, his tail drooping and coming to a stop nearly hidden between his legs. "I'll take that as a yes."

"I would have figured it was something like that had I gotten over my shock of the moment. Kuronue was the only person I considered close enough to become actual pack, you see. Leading a band of thieves I watched my men come and go without much problems, I don't tend to have attachments to those I'm around, or didn't at least." He amended, knowing full well should Hiei, Yusukes, or Kuwabara die he would be severely upset.

"I didn't ask for an explanation, Youko Kurama, I was merely bringing you out here to explain my own actions." Sango said and Youko's ears perked up as he gave an almost boyish grin.

"Pet, you deserved an explanation, I think. Kuronue already understood, to an extent, but I wish for you to understand as well. He was my first true loss in life and it hit me harder than I imagined." His tail began slowly swaying as he talked to her, watching as she cooled down easily before him. "I would have gone after you when you left, however that monk of yours told me it was unwise."

"I injure any male near me when I enter my moods so quickly." Sango answered and he nodded.

"Funny that, so do I." Youko said, thinking back on a rampage through his own camp.

Sango raised a brow before shaking her head. "Shuuichi was trying to pull Hiei away from torturing the staff and Kagome when I pulled you out of there, I believe you should go drag him away. Kagome's about to explode." She smiled as she counted down on her fingers. Youko watched with a bit of curiosity showing in his eyes.

"How do you-" _Zero. _

"YOU CREEPY LITTLE THREE EYED PUNK IF YOU DON'T QUIT I'M GOING TO PURIFY YOUR ASS!" Kagome's scream echoed down the hall. Sango grinned.

"Oh shit you made mama curse!" Shippo's voice followed immediately afterwards, shock evident in his voice. Youko blinked, raising a brow as he turned his head towards the room they came from.

"Onna, you're smaller than I am and you call me little?" Hiei's voice came through, a bit annoyed at the miko. Youko groaned. He could just see the grin on the Jaganshi's face as he taunted the girl.

"Didn't ya hear her ya short bastard? Quit starin!" InuYasha's own shout came through, it was now Sango who groaned.

Yusuke's laughter came to their ears as Kuwabara pointed out an amusing fact to him. "Is Hiei smiling over her screamin' at him?"

"InuYasha! This is my damn problem stay the hell out!" Kagome yelled as Sango began making her way back, Youko on her heels. "Yusuke you can shut the hell up!"

"Hey, bitch, I was only tryin' to help!" InuYasha growled at her. Sango's mouth curved into a smile as Kagome's shouted words came down the hall.

"SIT! You stupid dog! And Shippo, if you curse one more time you're getting a special word of your own!" Kagome yelled, causing a string of curses from a floored hanyou and the kitsune lord's tail fur to spike in fear. A certain female bat cried out lightly as the hanyou fell to the ground, almost taking her with him. Did he have to stand so close?

"Y-Yes mama!" He cried out, causing Youko to smirk as he entered the room with Sango.

Youko looked at Hiei. "I think you've done enough damage for one day, you little pyropixie, lets get some food. Sango, would you like me to bring you back some?" He asked, his tail swaying happily now that he had made up with her. Sango smiled and sank into a chair.

"If you could, bring enough for Kagome as well, we'll eat together. From the feel of it I'd say she's pretty hungry, I'd bring enough for about three ningen if I were you." Sango said and he grabbed her hand, kissing her knuckled lightly before winking at her. Sango rolled her eyes as he tried using some of his aura to lure her in. Kitsune seduction didn't work on those who have been around such things long enough, and with Shippo so untrained he was constantly using that form of 'seduction', causing immunity within the group of travelers.

"Yes m'lady, come, Hiei, before you cause a fight." Youko said and Hiei snorted. Sango wanted to kick the kitsune's ass for trying to get her with that seduction, but instead watched with narrow eyes as he talked to the other male.

"Who says I don't want one?" Hiei said and Youko smirked.

"Because the fight will be against me not your little miko." Youko said before pulling a seed from his hair, playing with it a bit. "Do you want to play, firecracker? I'm sure we could make it interesting and count how many minutes goes by before you use the dragon."

"She's not mine, fox, and I do not play your games. No sane person does." Hiei said with a scowl and Youko grinned.

"Of course! Now, we have a couple of ladies to feed so we must be off!" Youko said enthusiastically. "I want to see how much we can steal from Reikai's kitchen before it's even serv--"

"No stealing my food!" Sango called out to him and he grinned.

"Now, pet, I don't think you'd want me to wait for two hours in line for the food, your friend is hungry, and so are you." He said and Sango rolled her eyes.

"If you're going to steal food make sure its good, kitsune, or I'll let Kagome purify your tail off." Sango gave in and he gave a large toothy grin before leaving with the fire apparition in tow.

Kuronue chuckled. "You were going to get the best he could find either way, slayer, he's taken a liking to you."

"I know he has, but I don't fall for any form of youkai seduction, including kitsune. I'm going to find the one that can produce a certain form of youki mist, it had a distinct quality to it that made it different. The way it moved, flowed, I've never seen anything like it in all my years of slaying." Sango said and looked at the bat. "I will not lead him on to believe he has a chance, either, so don't worry about your friend."

Shiori grinned as Kagome's power evened out to a calm level. "Ah, it looks like we can relax until they return." She murmured, plopping down into a rolling chair wearily. InuYasha snorted at that.

"Doubt it, she's got mood swings from hell." The inu hanyou said as he pulled himself up from the ground.

"I HEARD THAT! SIT!!" Kagome shouted, though her power didn't spike much. InuYasha fell to the ground hard and he snarled out a few choice words at the miko.

"Should have kept that too yourself, InuYasha." Shiori said, looking down at him from her seat. "And to think I thought she was in love with you at one point, I guess I had forgotten about your inability to think before speaking."

"Are you callin' me stupid, wench?!" He snarled and Shiori snorted, pulling out a stick of gum from her coat pocket and popping it into her mouth.

"I'm calling you brash and quick to talk. You don't stop to think what would happen should you say something crude or insulting. Even now, you called me wench, when I was merely wondering how I could have thought such a sweet woman could fall for such a rude man. I wonder why she never picked up your habit of cursing too, being around you for so long..." Shiori thought out loud, watching as Sango hid a smile behind her hand.

Tamaki broke out of the silence his siblings and mother were in and went over to the door, taking Hiei's place, to smile at his grandmother. "Don't worry, Nana, it's almost lunch time for you! I'm going to go help steal some good food!"

"Just enough to feed us properly, take your father with you he'll help." Kagome said and Shippo grinned at her.

"Mama, how about my kids show you just how good they are at this?" Shippo asked, Kyouya and him weren't very good thieves. In fact, Kyouya much preferred his place in an office and Shippo walking the borders of his lands. The other children properly inherited the kitsune 'twitch', as it was often called. They couldn't help themselves and tended to want to steal when they get their eyes set on something.

"Hikaru, lets show that Youko Kurama who the real kings of thieves are." Kaoru said and Hikaru nodded.

"Old geezer thinks he's so much better just 'cause dad was raised by Sesshoumaru-sama." Hikaru huffed out, both twin's tails twitching with their eagerness. That was all it took. Suddenly Tamaki, the twins, Mori, and Candy were gone. Kagome grinned, closing her eyes and going back into her meditation knowing she was going to get plenty food thanks to those kitsune.

Yusuke frowned and looked to Kuwabara. "How come our moms ain't like her?"

Kuwabara rolled his eyes. "I don't think you could have a miko for a mum Urameshi."

"No, I mean, she's gladly letting her grandkids go and steal food for us all! Even encouraged it!" Yusuke said and Sango chuckled.

"Though kitsune seduction doesn't work on Kagome sexually, it gets her to agree to things like this. Isn't that right Shippo-kun?" Sango asked, raising a brow at the kitsune who was now blushing and attempting to hide behind his mate.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" He cried and Ayame rolled her eyes.

"He still can't completely control that." Ayame said and grabbed one of his tails, giving it a sharp tug. Shippo yelped and gave her a pout. "He's physically stronger than most kitsune, a great illusionist, and has a way with fox fire, but his kitsune seduction skills pretty much are just instinctive." Ayame said and he grinned.

"It got me so much pocky back when I was young!" He said, his eyes sparkling at the thought of the delicious treat. He licked his lips and looked to Ayame, who snorted.

"You're not allowed to have any for a while, remember?" Ayame said, pulling out a box and eating them in front of him.

"...You're cruel." He said in a whimper and she flashed her fangs at him in a grin.

"No, I'm just following your mother's wishes. You're not allowed. I am, though." She said and popped another on in her mouth. "Yummy."

".......You sick woman...its unfair..." He groaned causing Yusuke and Kuwabara to fall into fits of laughter.

"Mother, using pocky to torture father further is unwise." Kyouya said, taking a pen from his mouth. "You know he's going to shift into Kouga mid way again tonight."

"....My son how you know about that I don't want to know." Ayame said, causing him to look up at her with those cold eyes of his.

"It's hard not to know when the first time he did it you screamed for Kouga to get off you. You had the entire house up when you and father had that fight." Kyouya answered before taking the pocky from her and putting it into his pocket. "I doubt you should be allowed to torture father, grandmother would not approve."

"....You wound me." Ayame said and Kyouya snorted in amusement, closing his laptop to focus on her.

"Mother, think of it this way. I've been traumatized having to listen to you and father fight over him shifting into other men during your rutting. I do not wish to listen to such things to further my trauma, and so I take care of it before it happens. If I had known you held this box of pocky I would have stolen it from you before you had the chance to pull it out." Kyouya said before opening up his laptop once more. "Now if you will excuse me, one of my companies is having a hacker issue that I must deal with."

"Shippo your son is mean." Ayame said with a pout, looking to her mate. He grinned.

"He's smart." Shippo said and ran his fingers through her tail fur. "I mean if I had to deal with my mom and dad pulling stunts like we do I'd be finding ways to stop it too."

"But our stunts are fun and entertaining!" Ayame said, grinning. He raised a brow.

"And always sexual, unsuitable for our children to take part in." Shippo added and she crossed her arms.

"Not all the time." She grumbled and Shippo snorted.

"Ayame, my love, our last stunt started with pigs in Sesshoumaru-sama's study and ended up with sex in his dungeons. Every stunt we pull leads to our sexual gratification."

"That's only because you're both perverts. Now, I hate to ruin the conversation, but you two are distracting in the most disgusting way at the moment." Kyouya said, glaring at both his parents whom just grinned like two innocent kids.


End file.
